Redheads
by Molly W
Summary: CHAPTER 1 IS NEW AND IMPROVED This is the story of what happened Molly's 3rd year that changed the wizarding world forever. please review I'M STARVING FOR REVIEWS
1. just the beginging

Molly was in the kitchen fixing dinner when she heard the distinct "poof" of someone flooing into their grate.  
  
"Great, you made it." Ron was saying as Molly wiped off her hands on a dishtowel and went to see what all the fuss was about. There, covered in soot from head to toe was, Harry Potter. Ron had said he might try to make it to the Leaky Caldron while he was in London with those terrible relatives of his.  
  
"They'll be worried sick about you," she said aloud.  
  
"Actually, they probably won't," Harry answered her smiling.  
  
Molly laughed. "You're probably right. Well, come give us a hug." She held him a bit longer than was necessary for a friend of her son but she really thought of him as her very own. "I'm glad you're here. Arthur will go for your things later. Why don't you go and say hello to the others? They're just out de-gnoming the garden, have to earn their keep if they're going to stick around here after they've graduated."  
  
Molly watched as the two boys, both sixteen years old now, went out to see the twins. She wiped a tear from her eye and headed back into the kitchen, nearly being knocked over by Ginny as she ran full speed down the stairs.  
  
"Oh sorry, Mum. Did I just hear that Harry is here?" asked Ginny.  
  
"Yes, yes, he's out in the garden with your brothers," Molly replied and then called after her as Ginny ran out the door, "Slow down girl. He's only just flooed in, and you know how that upsets him." She continued to watch her daughter out the still open kitchen door.  
  
"Harry!" Ginny yelled running to him.  
  
Harry picked her up and swung her around, "How are you, Gin?"  
  
"Wonderful. I'm so glad you're here."  
  
What was that? Molly thought, as Harry gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek that seemed to be a little more than brotherly. Molly shook her head. "After all these years," she said out loud to herself. "They need to know." But she didn't want to tell them. She didn't know how. She had kept it a secret for so long.  
  
Hermione arrived shortly after Harry. Such a nice girl, Molly thought as she and the two girls set the table. Molly went to get one more thing and heard the girls giggling behind her.  
  
"I have something I've got to tell you," Ginny was whispering to Hermione, "but not here, after supper, in my room."  
  
"Okay," Hermione answered and they both giggled again.  
  
How nice it was to have more girls in the house. If only, but no she wouldn't think about that.  
  
Dinner went wonderfully and when it was over Molly got the usual complements on her cooking, which she brushed off humbly. And when they were excused the girls ran up to Ginny's room just as they had said. Molly was terribly curious as to what her daughter was so excited to tell Hermione that she couldn't say with her mother in the room. So she told the boys to clean up and headed up the stairs. She didn't mean to eavesdrop; she just really wanted to know. She stopped at Ginny's door and listened.  
  
" . . . And then," Ginny was saying, "He kissed me. But it was weird, you know. It was like I was kissing . . ."  
  
Molly couldn't help it she burst into the room without thinking.  
  
" . . . My brother," Ginny finished and then both girls just looked at Molly, shocked.  
  
Molly looked back at them trying to think of something to say.  
  
"Did you need something, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione finally asked.  
  
"Laundry," Molly said, "I was just wondering if you girls had anything that you wanted me to wash." Of course they don't Molly thought after she had spoken. She had done Ginny's things yesterday and Hermione had only just arrived with her trunk full of clean clothes.  
  
The girls looked at each other and back and Molly. "Er no," Hermione said, "but thank you for asking."  
  
"Right," Molly said but she didn't go from the room.  
  
"Was there something else you needed?" Hermione asked again.  
  
"No, well yes, Ginny dear your father and I well we . . . we don't think it's a good idea for you to . . ." here Molly stopped and took a deep breath, " . . . to see Harry." Both Ginny and Hermione stared at Molly, eyes wide with disbelief. "He's Ron's friend, after all." Molly continued, "And it could make things awkward for all of you at school. And here. I'd hate for him to have to fend off six overprotective brothers."  
  
"Mother," Ginny spat, "Harry and I aren't doing anything."  
  
Molly sighed and said, "You don't know how happy I am to hear you say that."  
  
The girls looked at her strangely.  
  
"It's just that, your father and I worry about you, Ginny. Harry's a fine young man, but well, trouble seems to follow him wherever he goes. We'd hate to see you mixed up in that. Again."  
  
Hermione looked at her as if she were reading something deeper, "That's not the whole reason is it Mrs. Weasley?"  
  
"Why, Hermione, what ever do you mean?" Molly's voice came out a bit too high.  
  
"Is there something you wanted to tell us?" Hermione asked.  
  
Molly took a breath to calm down and looked at her daughter and the girl who was dating her youngest son. Then she looked up at the ceiling, thinking, "Where do I begin? Have you girls ever come across a ghost named Moaning Myrtle?"  
  
They both nodded.  
  
"Good then you'll know what I mean when I say she's not the most sympathetic of souls." And with that Molly began her story.   
  
  
  
Molly Doherty was in the girls lavatory crying. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't. The test had to be wrong. She couldn't be pregnant. She had only just turned 13.  
  
Moaning Myrtle took a brake from her own wailing to see what all the fuss was about, "Well, what's wrong then?"  
  
Molly told the ghost about the test she'd just taken.  
  
"Oooo, that's bad," Myrtle whistled.  
  
"I love Arthur. I really do. But, I know I'm not ready to be anybody's mum. I really don't think I ever want to have any children."  
  
"Well it's kind of late for that." Myrtle wasn't the most sympathetic soul. "Have you told anyone? I mean like a teacher or someone."  
  
"No" Molly blew her nose on a handkerchief.  
  
"Well, Headmaster Dippet would probably expel you if he found out, so it's probably better not to tell him."  
  
This didn't help Molly out a bit.  
  
"Maybe Dumbledore though," Myrtle thought out loud, "Yeah, go talk to Prof. Dumbledore."  
  
"Okay," Molly wiped her eyes, "Dumbledore, I'll talk to Dumbledore."  
  
Molly washed her face and brushed her tangled red hair. She looked in the mirror. She still thought she looked like she'd been crying but maybe no one would notice. The halls weren't that busy today. The weather hadn't gotten cold yet so most people were outside enjoying the sunshine. She wished she could be out with them, carefree like she used to be. Molly avoided the eyes of everyone she happed to pass on the way to Prof. Dumbledore's office. But she reached it without any confrontation.  
  
Molly knocked on the door and prayed he was alone.  
  
"What a surprise, Miss Doherty." His smile faded when he saw how close she was to tears, "Come in. Tell me what's troubling you."  
  
At first she didn't know how to begin and then the whole story came spilling out. She told him how she had fallen in love with the 5th year Arthur Weasley and how he loved her, too. He had come to visit her over the summer holiday and they had gotten a little carried away. "Professor, what am I going to do?" she pleaded as she came to the end of the story. "My parents are going to kill me and - and Arthur. This could really ruin his life. He wants to go to work for the Ministry when he finishes school."  
  
She was silent waiting for an answer.  
  
Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, "This is a problem."  
  
Yes I know that. Tell me something I don't know she thought to herself.  
  
"Will you allow me to think about it?"  
  
"Yes, but please don't tell anyone," she burst out.  
  
"Now, Molly, I can't promise that. I may very well have to tell someone for your own good."  
  
"I just don't want Arthur to get into trouble," she barely whispered.  
  
"I will do everything in my power to see to it that neither you or Mr. Weasley are expelled."  
  
"Thank you," she breathed but it still wasn't very reassuring.  
  
Over the next couple of weeks she lived in fear that a howler would come from her parents, the whole school would find out and she'd be expelled. She had a story planned out in her head about a muggle boy and a night of passion, just in case. Arthur would hate her for it but at least he wouldn't loose his place at Hogwarts and his whole future.  
  
But no howler came and no word from Dumbledore. As the first Hogsmeade weekend approached, she was afraid he had forgotten and she was on her own again for an answer. She had to at least tell Arthur. He had the right to know. How exactly to tell him was the problem. 


	2. Arthur must be told

Molly and Arthur walked hand in hand down the main road in Hogsmead. It was her first time to come to the village and Arthur had been dieing to show her the sights.  
  
"Well what do you want to see first?" he asked excitedly.  
  
"I dunno." She seemed preoccupied.  
  
"We could go over to the Three Broomsticks and get a Butterbeer."  
  
"No," she said suddenly.  
  
He looked shocked and almost hurt.  
  
"I mean," she began again, "I'm not thirsty right now. Is there a place where we can just go and talk, alone."  
  
"Yeah." He knew she really must have something important to say. He hurried her to the edge of town where there was a quiet meadow and laid his cloak down for them to sit on. "What is it?" he asked after a long silence.  
  
"You remember what we did this summer?" she began slowly.  
  
"Yeah," his face went nearly as red as his hair. How could he forget a thing like that.  
  
"Well," she continued, "since then. . .I haven't had. . .you know."  
  
He looked at her dumbly (like a guy) and she knew he wasn't going to figure it out.  
  
"Arthur, I'm pregnant." There she'd said it. She couldn't take it back now.  
  
He was silent, sort of in shock.  
  
"Please say something," she begged.  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. Did you just say you're. . ."  
  
"Pregnant," she finished for him, "You heard me alright."  
  
Arthur jumped up and started pacing back and forth in the long grass. "A baby?" he began talking out loud to himself, "you can't. . .I can't. . .I'm only 15."  
  
"I've gone to talk to Professor Dumbledore. I think he's going to help us."  
  
"Molly," he turned to look at her, "We could both be expelled for this."  
  
"I know," she got to her feet, too. "He said he'd do everything he could to make sure that didn't happen."  
  
"Why did I do it? Why?" he started pacing again.  
  
"I thought it was because you loved me," Molly said quietly.  
  
"Oh Molly," he grabbed her shoulders and then pulled her to him. "I do love you. Never think that I don't, but what I meant was we should have waited. I should have never. . .Oh God."  
  
Molly cried quietly in his arms.  
  
"I'll marry you Molly," he held her out at arms length so he could look her in the face. "That's the right thing to do. We'll get married and we'll run away somewhere."  
  
"Arthur, please," she tried to get him to see reason, "what about school? What about your future?"  
  
"That doesn't matter now. This baby. . . Molly, this baby is our future."  
  
"There has to be another way. I won't let you leave Hogwarts for me." She pulled away and turned her back to him. The sun was setting. The carriages would be ready to take them back to the school grounds.  
  
"Molly, I'm here for you no matter what." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I know."  
  
The ride back was a quiet one. They had to share their carriage with another couple. As the other students bustled excitedly up to their commonrooms, Molly and Arthur slowly walked up the steps and into the castle entryway. There, they were met by Prof. Dumbledore.  
  
Dumbledore, knowing by the look on his face that Arthur had been told, asked them both to come up to his office. "Neither of you will be expelled," he began after they were inside with the door shut.  
  
A wave of relief spread over both Arthur and Molly.  
  
"Molly, your robes will be enchanted so that you will appear to stay as thin as you are now. Since it is a weekend please bring you school robes to me at once and then sometime during the week we can worry about your other things." Molly nodded.  
  
"Arthur, you must be careful not to act any differently towards Molly. Any change in your actions or attitudes could arouse the suspicion of your classmates and teachers.  
  
Arthur looked at Molly and then back up at Dumbledore, "Yes, Sir."  
  
"Now, Molly," Prof. Dumbledore looked her directly in the eyes, "If you wish to stay at Hogwarts we will need to find the baby a home with loving parents after it is born. Giving up your child may very well be the hardest thing you ever have to do in your life, but it will be the bravest and most loving thing for the child."  
  
Molly hadn't thought about this before. She guessed she'd have an awful long time to think about it though, her whole life in fact. She nodded again slowly.  
  
"However," Dumbledore continued to both of them, "if my calculations are correct the child will not arrive for another seven months so we'll have plenty of time to get ready for that." He clapped his hands together as if he was finished but then he remembered one more thing. "It is my belief that both of your parents should be notified of the situation."  
  
Molly and Arthur looked up at him in fright.  
  
"Oh, don't worry too much about that. I will help you compose the letters in a way as not to receive any howlers in return, eh?" he raised his eyebrows at Molly.  
  
"Thank you, Professor." She was so relieved she could almost hug him, "I'll just go up to the dormitory and get my school robes."  
  
She rushed out of the room and Arthur started to follow her.  
  
"One more thing, Mr. Weasley."  
  
Arthur stepped back into the office.  
  
"You and I and eventually the nurse are the only people in this school who know about Molly's condition. I have told you not to appear to treat her any differently but she will need to lean on you very heavily in the next few months. You may not feel the same connection and loss of the child but you are still very much a father. Watch her very closely and let me know if you need anything at all."  
  
No howler arrived, but if the letter Molly had received could have spoken it would have been disastrous. Her parents were very disappointed in her. She couldn't blame them for that. Molly's mother was sure the cover up wouldn't work. After all she had given birth to eight children and she knew a thing or two about having babies. But thankfully all Molly's brother's and sisters were out of the house and didn't have to be told anything. Molly was the youngest and had been quite a surprise herself. Now she was a disgrace to the family. She wouldn't be going home for Christmas. Arthur's letter from home was slightly less harsh. There was something about him having a lousy influence on his younger brothers and sisters. (He was the oldest in his large family.) And something about how he could deny it if the word got out. ("I would never do that, Molly," he'd said) But then again he didn't have to carry the baby for another 6 ½ months. 


	3. someone else to talk to

Molly spent most of her time with Arthur now. This wasn't much different than before but her girlfriends saw much less of her now. She wasn't quite sure what to say to them. This made classes very awkward. The only place she really felt comfortable was Transfigurations. In Dumbledore's class she knew she was safe.  
  
One afternoon in late November, however, she found her self neither in class or in the company of Arthur. She was walking down the chilly corridor with her friend Sophie Clearwater.  
  
Neither of them were saying much, but this had been the norm with Molly lately and Sophie wanted to know why. She spun around suddenly and stopped directly in front of Molly. "Okay, what is it?"  
  
"What is what?" Molly stopped startled.  
  
"Something's going on with you."  
  
"Nothing's going. . ."  
  
"Oh stuff it, Molly. You usually never shut up. I haven't heard a word out of you in weeks, months even."  
  
Molly looked at her friend. Sophie had never given away any of her secrets before but she had never had to tell her anything this important. Arthur could be a bit smothering with his protection and Dumbledore was more and more busy with that Phoenix thing-a-ma-whazit. She had to have someone else to talk to.  
  
"Well?" Sophie looked at her.  
  
"Okay, I'll tell you but we can't talk here." The two girls ran out of the castle and out onto the grounds where they met with a cold blast of wind. Winter was coming but they had yet to see the first snow.  
  
"Let's go in here where it's warmer," Sophie pulled Molly into the empty number one greenhouse.  
  
Molly looked around. There were a mixture of magical and ordinary muggle house plants surrounding them. She walked over to a single beautiful pure white flower, "I thought these only bloomed in the spring."  
  
"Molly, we're not here to look at the lilies. Tell me what's going on."  
  
Molly took a deep breath, "I told you that Arthur came to visit me over the summer."  
  
"Yeah, go on."  
  
"Well, he kissed me and. . ."  
  
"You didn't!"  
  
"We did, and now I'm. . ."  
  
"You're not!"  
  
"I am actually." Molly bit her lip.  
  
"My best friend, Molly O'Grady is going to be a Mummy."  
  
Molly nodded.  
  
"Well you look great. I never would have guessed."  
  
"Well, even without my robes being enchanted I'm not really showing at all yet."  
  
"You got your robes magicked so nobody could see your tummy grow!?" Sophie's eyes widened.  
  
"Yeah, Dumbledore did it so we wouldn't be found out and expelled. He's the only one who knows except for Arthur and you."  
  
"Molly this is unbelievable!"  
  
"You can't tell a soul."  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it."  
  
Sophie was true to her word but no one was paying attention to Molly anyway. Everyone was too excited about the up coming Yule Ball. Last years Ball had been the first time Arthur had asked Molly out. In the spirit of not doing anything out of the ordinary they would be going together again this year.  
  
"What are you going to wear?" Sophie asked Molly one evening after supper in the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"Come on I'll show you." The two girls went up the spiral staircase to the third year girls dormitory. Molly opened her trunk and pulled out the cornflower blue dress robes.  
  
"Wow it's beautiful."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Sophie nodded excitedly.  
  
"My mum made it for me last summer." Molly suddenly looked sad.  
  
"Oh Molly, your mum will come around. She's gonna have a grandchild after all."  
  
"She probably won't even see the baby. I'm giving it up remember."  
  
Sophie wasn't sure what to say. She looked down at the dress robes again and changed the subject, "I wish I could go to the Yule Ball."  
  
Molly smiled again, "Don't worry. We'll find an upperclassman to ask you."  
  
A friend of Arthur's, Spence Desmond, asked her the next day. 


	4. yule ball

Finally the day of the Yule Ball arrived. At six o'clock in the evening Molly and Sophie went up to their dormitory to get ready. They had the room to themselves. The other 3rd year Gryffindor girls had gone home for the holidays. Molly pulled her dress robe out of her trunk and laid it on her bed. Sophie did her hair in a beautiful up-do and they both put on a little bit of make-up. (not as much as the Slytherin girls but they really need it.) Then when it was almost time to go meet the boys they put on their robes. Sophie looked stunning in her mint green robe but Molly was having trouble.  
  
"I think it's too small." Molly wedged herself into the robe and stepped in front of the mirror. There was a distinct bump where her flat stomach had once been. Sophie was standing behind her looking panic stricken.  
  
"I forgot to have Prof. Dumbledore enchant this one."  
  
Sophie didn't say a word.  
  
Molly quickly changed back into her bath robe and handed the other to her friend, "You have to get this to Prof. Dumbledore. I'll stay here and wait."  
  
Sophie nodded silently, took the robe and ran out the door. She nearly ran smack into Arthur and Spence.  
  
They tried to ask where she was going. But she just hollered back, "no time." She hurried out the portrait whole, down a flight of stairs, through one corridor and then another, skidding to a stop infront of Dumbledore's office. She banged on the door.  
  
"Hello, Miss Clearwater, what can I do. . ."  
  
Sophie shoved the robe into his hands, "Molly needs this fixed so she can wear it tonight."  
  
"Oh that's easy enough. Involucrum Homunculus," he said to the robe and looked back up at Sophie, "Is there anything else I can do for you." He handed the robe back to her.  
  
"No that's it, thanks," she was already running back towards the dormitory. She bumped into the boys again on her way back up. "Just another minute now," she assured them.  
  
"That was quick," Molly laughed when Sophie came bursting into the room out of breath holding the robe.  
  
Molly tried it on yet again. This time it fit perfectly and there was no sign of the little pooch in the middle.  
  
"That's really amazing," Sophie panted.  
  
"All ready?" Molly asked her. "Yeah."  
  
The two couples made a grand entrance into the Great Hall.  
  
"They're all staring at me," Molly whispered to Arthur.  
  
"Don't worry. It's just because you look beautiful." He kissed her on the cheek.  
  
Several young wizards lined up, looking cautiously at Arthur and asked her to dance. Molly loved dancing. Arthur was reluctant to let her go, for more than one reason. She was dancing with a Hufflepuff boy named Heathcliff when Dumbledore himself asked to cut in.  
  
"How are you feeling, Miss O'Grady?"  
  
"Great, Sir. Only, a little bit tired."  
  
"That's not surprising. Why don't you take a brake and have a glass of punch with Mr. Weasley. I think he's feeling a bit jealous."  
  
"Alright," Molly allowed herself to be lead off the dance floor, when she felt the strangest sensation, a little flutter like butterfly wings.  
  
Arthur pulled a chair out for her at the table. Molly sat very still hoping to feel it again.  
  
"What is it?" Arthur asked at her strange expression.  
  
She raised her hand for him to wait and was still for another moment longer. "Nothing," she shrugged, "I just thought I felt. . .," another flutter. Molly looked up at Arthur smiling, "I think I can feel it moving."  
  
She was positively glowing. Several more people asked her to dance but she just shooed them away trying to sit as still as possible.  
  
"I think it likes the music," Molly whispered to Sophie.  
  
After awhile Dumbledore from the teacher's table noticed that Molly was acting rather strangely and was beginning to attract attention. He called Arthur over and pointed out the situation.  
  
Arthur ran back to Molly. "Perhaps it's time for you to go up to bed."  
  
"I am getting a bit tired," she answered obediently but still looked rather disappointed. When they were out of the Great Hall, Arthur explained.  
  
"Oh, I wasn't even thinking," she moaned.  
  
"It's okay, I don't think anyone really noticed, but you should be more careful."  
  
"I'll try," she smiled at him as they went up the stairs and down the corridor towards Gryffindor tower.  
  
The common room was empty of course, everyone who hadn't gone home for the holidays was still in the Great Hall.  
  
"Would you like to feel the baby move?" Molly finally asked him as they sat before the roaring fire.  
  
"Would I?!" he exclaimed excitedly.  
  
She took his hand and put it on her stomach.  
  
She felt a flutter, "There! Did you feel it?"  
  
He looked disappointed, "er, no."  
  
"There it is again."  
  
"Still nothing." He shook his head.  
  
She jumped up, "Maybe it's the robe. It's been enchanted." She dragged him up the stairs and left him just outside the door of her dormitory while she went inside and changed into her night gown.  
  
Molly opened the door and Arthur saw her little pooch of a belly for the first time. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room.  
  
"I'm not supposed to be. . ."  
  
"Oh, nobody'll ever know." Molly laid down on her bed and Arthur sat beside her. She put his hand on her belly.  
  
"I think I felt something," he said immediately turning bright red.  
  
"but that wasn't. . ."  
  
He silenced her with a kiss. "We really shouldn't be doing this." He kissed her again and again.  
  
"Well," she giggled, "It's not like I can get pregnant again."  
  
Arthur sat strait up. "The baby. We might hurt the baby."  
  
"I hadn't thought of that." She sat up, too.  
  
"I should probably go. Er .. . let you get some rest."  
  
"Alright," she said a bit disappointed, watching him go.  
  
Molly closed the curtains on her four poster and laid back down, hands on her stomach. The baby moved again. 'I'm going to have to get Prof. Dumbledore to enchant my nightgown too I guess.' She thought to herself looking down at the small bulge. She didn't want the other 3rd year girls to find out. 


	5. what's to be done with the baby?

Thank you to my three wonderful reviewers a few more might be nice. The baby will be born soon. Have you guessed who it is yet?  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
By February Molly was feeling the baby move on a consistent basis. It seemed to have it's own schedule, active when Molly laid down to go to sleep at night and more passive when Molly was up and about.  
  
Molly began to wonder about things like if it would be a boy or a girl and if it would look more like her or Arthur. She spent her History of Magic classes looking through the indexes of her book for interesting names.  
  
She had somehow, consciously or unconsciously, decided not to think about the fact that she had to give the baby away to someone else.  
  
Arthur couldn't be with her as much as he would like to have been. He was taking the O.W.L.s this year and had to spend all of his free time studying.  
  
Molly didn't mind the freedom though. She'd just say she needed to study herself or she was tired of had a headache and slip up to the dormitory to lay on her bed and be alone with her unborn child.  
  
She had also begun to knit a tiny green sweater. Her mothers had taught her how ages ago. Anyone who asked was told it was for a doll that belonged to one of Arthur's sisters for her birthday.  
  
* * *  
  
The short blond witch looked again at the note in her hand. It had been 15 years since she had gone to school here but it took her no time at all to find Dumbledore's office. His note just said he needed to speak to her.  
  
"Arabella," he welcomed her in and offered her a chair.  
  
"I came as soon as I could."  
  
"Good. Good."  
  
"Has something happened? Are you calling together the Order of the Phoenix?"  
  
"Oh no, nothing like that. Have some tea."  
  
Arabella Figg took the tea cup and sipped it getting more and more curious, "So what is this all about, Albus?"  
  
"I have a student who is in a bit of trouble."  
  
"What kind of trouble?" Arabella wondered what on earth this had to do with her.  
  
"In about two months she is going to have a child."  
  
"You mean to tell me there is a pregnant teenager running around Hogwarts?! Albus, I thought you had more sense than to. . ."  
  
"It has been kept hidden, and I need it to stay that way. I need you to help me find a loving family to place the child with when it's born."  
  
"Well, I'll see what I can find. I assume the girl and her boyfriend will be punished?"  
  
"I think giving up the child will be punishment enough."  
  
* * *  
  
It was getting harder and harder for Molly to act normally. Even though she still looked thin, her posture was getting positively sway-backed and she walked with a bit of a waddle. Her feet were swolen most of the time and she was always tired.  
  
Arthur had started taking the O.W.L.s and couldn't be bothered. So, Dumbledore kept a close eye on her.  
  
Molly was now seeing Madam Pomfry once a week in a private room off to the side of the Hospital wing. The baby seemed to be strong and healthy and would be here any day.  
  
* * *  
  
After a hard day, Dumbledore headed for this office. The first thing he noticed was the owl perched on the back of his chair and then the letter on his desk. He opened it quickly.  
  
Albus, I believe I've found a family to take the child. It's a muggle couple but they're good people. They have one daughter of their own and have been told they can't have anymore children. The child will be able to grow up away from prying eyes. Send word when the child is born. Arabella  
  
Well that was a load off his mind. Now all he had to worry about was the exam he was writing. 


	6. the birth

Thanks again for the reviews Katzztar and Lone Wolf 10 points each to your houses. You guessed it. Also a couple chapters ago Dumbledore used a spell on Molly's robe for the yule ball. It actually means something look it up. More points to whoever can figure it out. Enjoy.  
  
* * *  
  
Molly was glad Transfig. was her last class of the day. Her back was really hurting and she needed to get off her feet. She didn't think she would have made it all the way up the stairs to Divination.  
  
She plopped down into her seat next to Sophie and pulled a chair over to prop up her feet,  
  
"Thank God it's Friday!"  
  
"I'll second that." Sophie smiled.  
  
"How are you feeling today, Miss O'Grady?" asked Dumbledore as he walked up to start the class.  
  
"As well as can be expected."  
  
"It won't be long now," he reassured her in a voice just above a whisper.  
  
Molly tried to pay attention but she kept having terrible pains in her back. She thought of asking to go to the nurse, but she felt too weak to raise her hand. Then the room started swimming and everything went black.  
  
Sophie screamed, "Professor, Molly's fainted!"  
  
"Everyone stay where you are and work on your essays," Dumbledore sprang into action,  
  
"I'm taking Miss O'Grady to the hospital wing." He was too worried to bother with magic. He just scooped her up in his arms and ran.  
  
Molly faded in and out of consciousness. She heard Madam Pomfry say something about Preeclampsia and never having seen a case this bad before. Then another voice said something about the baby. Molly fought to stay alert. The cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. The pain was too much and once again Molly blacked out.  
  
* * *  
  
When Molly woke again she still hurt all over, but something was different. Everything was quiet.  
  
"My Baby!" She suddenly remembered, "Where's my baby?!" Dumbledore who had drifted off to sleep sitting next to her woke with a jolt. "You're awake, wonderful."  
  
"Where's my baby? There was something wrong. Is it okay?"  
  
"The baby is fine. You had a little girl." He smiled.  
  
"A girl?" Molly leaned back against her pillows.  
  
"You gave us quite a scare. There were a couple of moments when we thought we'd loose both of you."  
  
"But she's okay. Can I see her?"  
  
"It may be harder on you if you do see her."  
  
"I just want to see my baby."  
  
"I'll see what I can do." Dumbledore got up and left the room.  
  
A second later the door opened again. This time it was Arthur. He crossed the room in two large strides and hugged her. "They came and got me out of class. I thought I was going to loose you."  
  
"Arthur, I had a girl."  
  
"I know they told me."  
  
Dumbledore came in then carrying the smallest baby either one of them had ever seen and laid her in Molly's arms.  
  
"She's so tiny." Molly cried.  
  
"She's beautiful." Arthur reached out to touch his daughter's hand. The tiny fingers closed around his fingertip.  
  
Molly looked up at him. She noticed something in his other hand. "Is that for me?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I know they're your favorite." He handed her one pure white lily.  
  
"It's beautiful. Thank you."  
  
"Are you going to give her a name?" Dumbledore asked braking the moment.  
  
"Lily," said Molly without a second thought, "Lilian Ginnavive Weasley." 


	7. a sad goodbye

Molly had settled on the name Ginnavive weeks ago if it was a girl. Ginnavive was Arthur's mother's name, but for some reason when she saw the little girl, Molly knew her name had to be Lily. So this is the name that appeared on the Magical Birth certificate that Molly and Arthur signed as parents. There was still one paper that had yet to be signed, the one Molly was dreading most of all. Molly at only 13 years old had probably written her name thousands of times, but this was different. This time she was signing away her maternal rights to her own child. She knew that's what had to be done. She knew that Lily would have a better life this way. She knew she and Arthur were not ready to be parents. So, she would do it. Molly would sign the paper so Lily could have the life she deserved.  
  
* * *  
  
It had been a week since Molly had been released from the hospital wing. She'd been told to try to get back to her normal school schedule. The problem with that was, Molly wasn't sure what normal was anymore. She should have been studying for her final exams but more often then not on her brake times she found herself back in the private room of the hospital wing holding, singing to, or just staring at little Lily.  
  
She was on her way there one afternoon, when Prof. Dumbledore came along side her, "Going my way?"  
  
She turned a bit pink, "I wanted to see her again."  
  
"I was actually hoping to find you there. Today is the day Lily will go to her new home."  
  
Molly's heart dropped into her stomach, "Professor, will I ever see her again?"  
  
"Well," Dumbledore smiled, "She is a full blood witch. I imagine she'll be receiving her Hogwarts letter in oh about 11 years."  
  
"You mean she'll be able to come here even though she's going to a muggle family?"  
  
"Of course," he laughed and opened the door for her. They had reached the hospital wing.  
  
Arabella Figg was aready there waiting for them, "This is the mother?" she jerked her head in Molly's direction.  
  
Molly looked a Dumbledore and back at the blond witch she had never seen before. "I am," she said quietly.  
  
Arabella eyed her a bit accusingly, "You'll need to sign here."  
  
Molly was given an ordinary piece of muggle paper and a ball point pen. She signed above where her name had been typed.  
  
"And where is the father," Arabella continued.  
  
"Here, I'm here," Arthur rushed in, "I was just finishing up my last O.W.L."  
  
"Right, then," Arabella gave him the same look she had given Molly. "Sign here above your name."  
  
Arthur glanced at Molly apologetically before he put pen to paper.  
  
"Every thing seems to be in order," Arabella folded the paper and put it in the pocket of her robe. She then went to pick up the tiny baby.  
  
"Please," Molly stopped her, "Can I say goodbye?"  
  
"Very well, be quick about it." She stepped back.  
  
Molly's eyes were full of tears and her hands shaking as she stepped up to the cradle and lifted out her baby.  
  
"Lily, you're going away now. Your new mummy and daddy will take care of you," Molly broke down in a sob, "but I will always love you."  
  
Arthur stepped up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder, "We'll have more babies some day," he looked up at Dumbledore, "when we're married and the time is right of I mean."  
  
Dumbledore smiled and nodded.  
  
"But none of them will be, Lily." Molly was still staring at the baby through her tears.  
  
"Albus, I really have to get going," said Arabella impatiently.  
  
"Yes, yes," he coughed and reached out for Lily.  
  
"I can't do it, Sir, I can't." Molly looked horrified.  
  
"Molly, you knew this time would come."  
  
"But she's so small. She doesn't know those people. She'll be all alone in the muggle world and. . .and. . ." Molly knew she had to let go. She mustered up every ounce of courage in her body and handed Lily to Dumbledore. Then she turned and buried her face in Arthur's chest weeping.  
  
Dumbledore in turn handed the child to Arabella, who had a tear running down her own cheek.  
  
"She's going to a good home," said Arabella taking pity on the young girl.  
  
"Goodbye, Lily," Arthur said with a sob.  
  
"Yes, goodbye my sweet," Molly turned but the witch and the baby had already gone, "my sweet, Lily."  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
@Katzztar - concerning the spell look it up in the dictionary they're actual words. Concerning Harry and the Dursleys, as it turns out Vernon is James 3rd cousin on his mothers side (they don't discuss that side of the family) it's one of those things only Dumbledore seems to know. Patunia isn't old enough to remember that Lily was adopted so they still believe that that's where the blood relation comes from. Funny you should mention the Malfoys, they come up in the story sometime soon. And yes I will be continuing the story after Lily goes to live with the Evans'. Molly's got a lot more living to do. 


	8. going home

Sorry this one is short. it's just setting up the summer. * * *  
  
Molly stood on the platform at Hogsmead station. She wasn't looking forward to going home for the summer holiday. Oh, she had passed all of her classes, some of them just barely. Arthur had gotten 12 O.W.L.s. She just felt as if she was leaving more than just her schoolwork.  
  
Arthur put his own trunk and hers on the train, "Alright, I've found us a compartment."  
  
She allowed herself to be led onto the train.  
  
Everyone seemed to be laughing and having fun, flirting, talking about what they were going to do over the holidays. Molly felt older, above it all somehow. She also felt drained.  
  
She sat on the seat next to Arthur and laid her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her.  
  
"Will anything ever feel normal again?" she wondered aloud.  
  
"I imagine it will one day," answered Arthur but he couldn't quite understand what she was going through.  
  
Molly tried to sleep most of the way to London. She didn't want to think about the reception she would get from her parents, if they were even there at all.  
  
They were there of course, greeting her with open arms and although they jerked her rather quickly away from Arthur, no mention was made of the pregnancy or the baby. It was as if none of it had ever happened. They were going to pretend her baby didn't exist.  
  
The O'Gradys looked contemptuously at the Weasleys. Arthur wouldn't be coming for another visit this summer. 


	9. summertime

For Molly the summer holiday couldn't pass quickly enough. She was sick of her parents pretending that nothing had happened. She longed to be back at Hogwarts where she at least had Arthur and Sophie to talk to. And she wanted to get back to her classes, especially Charms which had always come naturally to her as it did to all the witches in her family. She had understandably neglected her classes last year and very much wanted to catch up before she too her own O.W.L.s.  
  
For her birthday in August, Molly's parents surprised her. Sophie would be joining them for a trip to Diagon Alley to get their school things. As a treat they would be taking a muggle train to get there.  
  
Sophie arrived by floo powder that morning and the two girls rushed up to Molly's room. It was a huge relief for Molly to be able to speak Lily's name out loud again.  
  
"Have you gotten any word on how she's doing?" Sophie asked her.  
  
"Nothing. But Prof Dumbledore promised to let me know when he heard something."  
  
"Girls we're going to be late for the muggle train," Molly's mother called up to them.  
  
"We'll be right down."  
  
The girls giggled and chattered about school all the way to the train station. They saw more than one mother pushing a pram and each time Molly tried to get a look at the baby inside to see if it might be Lily. On the train they saw a little girl who was about three years old with red hair like Molly's. Molly smiled and waved at her, "Lily's gonna look like that one day," she whispered so only Sophie could hear.  
  
Once they were on the Alley, Molly's mum let them run off alone to look around. She'd given Molly a little extra money to pick out something special for her birthday. They replenished their supply of potion ingredients, and stood in front of Madam Malkin's for a little while dreaming about the dress robes in the window. Then Molly wanted to go to a toy store.  
  
"Aren't you a little to old for toys," Sophie laughed at her.  
  
"Well I can do what ever I want to with my birthday money and I thought I might get something for Lily. I'm sure Prof. Dumbledore could get it to her for me." Molly started off in the direction of the Kidman's Toys.  
  
"But Molly," Sophie stopped her, "wouldn't it be kind of strange for her to have magical toys if she's living with a muggle family."  
  
"I guess you're right," Molly thought a moment. "Hey isn't there a section of muggle books at Flourish and Blots?"  
  
"I think so. I've never looked at them though."  
  
"Me neither. Come on." The girls ran to the book store. "Excuse me," Molly found a clerk, "Do you have any muggle books?"  
  
The clerk looked a bit shocked, "Don't get much call for 'em but we've got a few in the back." He led them to a very dusty shelf on the back wall.  
  
Molly picked up one of the books and started to flip through it. It kicked up a bit of dust and Sophie sneezed.  
  
"If you don't mind me askin', why do you want a muggle book?" the clerk asked.  
  
"Oh," Molly looked up from the page, "It's for a friend."  
  
"So it's a gag gift," the clerk nodded his head knowingly.  
  
"Not exactly," Molly continued to look. "Hey look this one talks about Merlin. Are you sure this is a muggle book?"  
  
"Are the pictures moving?" he asked.  
  
"Well no," Molly turned to Sophie. "What do you think?"  
  
Sophie shrugged.  
  
Molly looked at the cover of the book again King Arthur and His Knights by: Sir Thomas Malory. "I think that's who Arthur was named after," she said to no one in particular. Then she made up her mind, "I'll take it." 


	10. the brakeup

A/N: Just to clear it up Sophie is Penelope Clearwater's aunt. Sophie's little brother is in Ravenclaw but since he's not terribly important to the plot I hadn't really mentioned him. You all may or may not like me after this chapter but it will get better I promise. Katzztar, have you figured out what "Involucrum Homunculus" means yet?  
  
* * *  
  
Molly and Sophie found the rest of their school books and paid for the lot. Then they headed back out to the Alley.  
  
"Isn't that, Arthur?" Sophie directed Molly's attention across the street. It was Arthur. He was talking to a 6th year Ravenclaw girl. Molly couldn't recall her name. The girl laughed. She was obviously flirting.  
  
"Well, see you at the meeting, Arthur." The girl giggled, waved and skipped off out of sight.  
  
"Arthur?" Molly cried, the beginnings of jealousy were showing on her face.  
  
"Molly!" He turned to her excitedly and hugged her, not noticing her scowl. He stepped back and stuck out his chest proudly, "Ta da."  
  
Molly just stood there looking hurt at the smile on his face.  
  
"Well?" He looked at Molly expectantly. Then he began polishing the badge on his robe. "I'm a prefect." He was beaming.  
  
"Who was that?" Molly pointed in the direction the Ravenclaw girl had disappeared.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"That person you were just flirting with."  
  
"What I wasn't . . . oh. . . that was just Mattie McKinney. She's a prefect, too. She had just come over to congratulate me."  
  
"That's not what it looked like from over there."  
  
Now he could see she was angry, "Molly, I would never. . ."  
  
"Why haven't you written me?"  
  
He looked shocked, "I sent you an owl about every day. I was wondering why you hadn't written me."  
  
"Liar!" she shouted causing several people on the street to stop and stare.  
  
"Molly, please," Sophie tried to calm her.  
  
Molly lowered her voice a bit on the verge of tears, "Do you want to see other people, Arthur?"  
  
"No Molly I. . ." He had been about to say, 'I love you,' but she cut him off.  
  
"Well maybe I do." She didn't know why she said it. She certainly didn't mean it. But there it was and she couldn't take it back now.  
  
Arthur stared at her for a moment with his eyes full of hurt, "If that's what you want, Molly." He slowly turned and walked away down the street.  
  
Molly's tears were falling freely as she watched him go.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Sophie slapped her arm.  
  
"I don't know."  
  
* * *  
  
"Mum, why did you do it?!" Molly burst into the Leaky Cauldron with tears streaming down her face. Sophie was right on her heals gasping for breath from the run.  
  
Molly's mother was sitting at a small table reading Witch Weekly, waiting for them. She looked up from her magazine calmly, "Do what, dear?"  
  
"Why did you keep Arthur's letters from me?"  
  
"Keep your voice down," she wiped a tear off her daughter's cheek, "He's a bad sort, dear. Just look what he did to you."  
  
"He's not, Mum." Molly was not keeping her voice down and was attracting quite a bit of attention, "He offered to marry me."  
  
Mrs. O'Grady was looking nervously around at the other patrons in the pub. She didn't like being stared at especially for something like this. "We'll discuss it when we get home."  
  
"No, Mother, I'd like to discuss it now. What about the letters I wrote him?"  
  
"They were never sent." Mrs. O'Grady mumbled.  
  
"You've ruined everything. I love him, Mother. I always will, and now he hates me and it's all your fault!"  
  
"Er, Molly," Sophie had also noticed everyone around them staring, "Maybe we should just go back to your house."  
  
"Fine," Molly spun around, flung a handful of floo powder at the fire and yelled,  
  
"O'Grady place." She stepped into the fire and vanished from the pub. Sophie followed and found Molly weeping on her bed.  
  
"Oh, Molly," Sophie sat on the bed next to her, "It's going to be okay, really. You and Arthur are gonna get married and have loads of kids and live happily ever after."  
  
"You sound like that old gypsy Madam Fairweather from Divination." Molly wiped her eyes on her pillowcase.  
  
"She did seem to think I had the gift," Sophie raised her eyebrows and smiled. 


	11. back to school

A/N: this will be my last post for the weekend as I am going out of town but I will be checking my e-mail so review. please review. You get to meet some wonderful new characters in this one. Including more Weasleys and Gertie Gaines who will later be the mother of Lee Jordan. Luv Y'all. MW * * *  
  
It didn't take long for the news to spread down the length of the Hogwarts Express that one of the school's cutest couples had broken up. Molly sat quietly in a compartment with Sophie and the other 4th year Gryffindor girls. The girls weren't sure exactly what Arthur had done since Molly wasn't talking but they had decided amongst themselves to show their solidarity and be angry with him too.  
  
Arthur had tried to go and talk to Molly but Gertie Gaines had blocked his way, "She doesn't want to talk to you."  
  
Arthur turned back sadly and found a seat in a compartment with some of the other prefects.  
  
The truth was Molly did want to talk to him. He was always the one she'd gone to when she'd been mad at her mother before.  
  
When the train pulled into Hogsmead, Molly was surrounded by half the mail population of the school. All those guys who had wanted to dance with her last Christmas had heard she was now single. This was not hard for Arthur to miss, and as her back was to him, he couldn't see her look of displeasure.  
  
"Help me down?" Mattie McKinney was batting her eyes at him.  
  
Molly turned around just in time to see him take Mattie's hand and help her down from the train. Tears stung in her eyes.  
  
  
  
Molly and Arthur sat as far away from one another as possible at the Gryffindor table for the start of term feast. They both looked miserable, that is until, "Weasley, Billius." was called up to be sorted.  
  
Billius, after being named a Gryffindor and seeing that there were no seats available next to his brother plopped down next to Molly and asked, "So why don't you like Arthur anymore?" But Molly had no time to answer. There was another Weasley now on the stool, Billius' twin sister Charlotte.  
  
"Gryffindor," the hat shouted again.  
  
Charlotte grinned and scooted in next to her brother, "Did you ask her yet?"  
  
"I did but she hasn't said nothin'," Billius whispered back at her.  
  
Then they both stared expectantly at Molly.  
  
"It's not that I don't like him. I do very much."  
  
"But you didn't answer any of his letters." Charlotte shook her head.  
  
"So much has happened. Things you couldn't possibly understand."  
  
"Like the baby," Billius whispered.  
  
Molly's face went white and she looked around to see if anyone had heard, "How did you know about. . ."  
  
"We're not stupid." Charlotte frowned.  
  
"Yeah, and Arthur talks in his sleep." Billius stuffed a roll in his mouth. While they had been talking Headmaster Dippit had finished his announcements and the feast had appeared on the table before them. Molly was suddenly not feeling very hungry.  
  
"He's in love with you, ya know." Charlotte mentioned between bites of her mashed potatoes.  
  
Molly sat quietly until she couldn't stand it anymore. She knew Arthur would be coming over some time soon to congratulate the twins on their sorting. She couldn't face him right now. She mumbled something about a headache and left the great hall. 


	12. return to classes: Enter Malfoy

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. It was a good but emotional weekend. A friend that I was in a drama troop with died on Thursday. He was only 48 years old and had a 15 year old son and a 12 year old daughter. I'm glad to know that he's in heaven now discussing theology with C.S.Lewis but he will be greatly missed. You can see him in action (and me too actually) at www.ycafe.com. Dave is in the sketch about the married couple called 'perfectly fine'. His wife is acting with him. (I'm in the sketch after that about the girl who's parents get divorced. That's me as Jessy.)  
  
And now back to the story:  
  
* * *  
  
Molly's first class the next day was double potions with the Slytherins. She didn't really care. In fact she was so in her own little world she didn't even notice who had stepped up next to her to be her partner for the project they were doing.  
  
"The word is that Weasley finally stepped off," he drawled, "that you're fair game."  
  
Molly looked over at him and up he was a good deal taller than she was. "That's not exactly how it is." She looked back down.  
  
"But you aren't with him right now are you?"  
  
"Well no." Lucius Malfoy was the last person she wanted to have this discussion with.  
  
He stepped back with his arms crossed and surveyed her. He had taken notice of her last year but had never been able to get anywhere near her with Arthur Weasley always hanging around. "How about a picnic?" He said suddenly.  
  
"What?!" The vile she was holding fell to the floor and shattered.  
  
"Do be more careful Miss O'Grady." Said Prof. Crockford looking up from her desk.  
  
Molly nodded crisply at the teacher and bent down to clean up the mess. Thankfully it was only water.  
  
Lucius dropped down beside her, "Well?"  
  
"Are you asking me out?" Molly whispered.  
  
"Saturday, lunch, by the lake," was his answer.  
  
She thought of the feeling she got when she saw Arthur and Mattie holding hands. "Yes, Lucius. I think that would be lovely."  
  
"Good." He stood up not bothering to help her sweep up the shards of glass and began preparing their potion ingredients.  
  
  
  
Over the next few days Molly was constantly tailed by Billius and Charlotte Weasley. They got her caught up on what was going on with the rest of the Weasleys (Daphne-9, Edmond-7, Franny-5, and baby Gwinevere). This, Molly didn't mind so much. It was just the "Do you still love Arthur?" and "When are you going to talk to Arthur?" and "Arthur really loves you." intermingled with the small talk that got on her nerves. For this reason Molly enjoyed the escape of her classes.  
  
Her last class on Friday was Divination. She and Sophie both enjoyed the class for a good laugh even if they thought it was a load of bunk. They weren't surprised at all to find Sybil Trelawney already there telling Prof. Fairweather everything she had "seen" over the summer.  
  
"Hey Sybil," Sophie jeered, "Is the world going to end tomorrow? I was wondering if I should go ahead and do my Transfig. homework or not."  
  
Sybil leered back at her and took her seat.  
  
"Miss Clearwater, Miss O'Grady how nice to have you for another term." Prof. Fairweather greeted them. For someone with the sight, she certainly didn't have the hearing to go along with it. "Molly, there's something different about you."  
  
"Just the same old me," Molly said slightly uncomfortable at the way the Professor was looking at her.  
  
"No, it's your Aura. Your inner child is significantly dimmer than it was last year."  
  
"Maybe I grew up a lot over the summer." Molly gave a nervous half smile.  
  
"It's almost as if," Prof. Fairweather continued, "Part of you is gone. . . or missing."  
  
"She just broke up with Arthur," Sophie said quickly.  
  
"Maybe that's it." But the Professor didn't look convinced.  
  
"You don't think she knows something?" Molly whispered to Sophie as the teacher went off to greet more of her students.  
  
"Nah," Sophie grinned, "She's a flake." 


	13. Saturday, lunch, by the lake

A/N: careful what you wish for Katzztar: Narcissa will be introduced in the next chapter.  
  
* * *  
  
On Saturday morning Molly was hoping for a bit of a lie in. But it was not to be. At 9:15 Charlotte, who sometime during the week had been given the nick-name Charlie, bounced up onto her bed.  
  
"You weren't at breakfast," she started right in, "so I thought I'd come up and see if you were okay."  
  
"I'm fine," Molly tried to pull the covers over her head but she couldn't with Charlie sitting on them.  
  
"You know it's Saturday, no classes, so it would be the perfect time to have a talk with Arthur."  
  
"I can't today," Molly yawned, "I'm meeting someone for lunch."  
  
"Who?" asked the ever curious 1st year.  
  
"Lucius Malfoy," Molly mumbled and fell back to sleep.  
  
"Malfoy?!" Charlie jumped up in alarm.  
  
"What. What. I'm up. I'm up." Molly's eyes flew open and she sat strait up in bed.  
  
"Dad says the Malfoys are evil," Charlie's voice had dropped to a whisper.  
  
"Oh that, well," Molly had gotten out of bed and was not looking through her trunk for something to wear, "He's never been evil to me. Besides, I think Arthur's doing just fine with his new prefect friends. He hasn't even tried to speak to me all week." Molly didn't wait for a reply she had gathered her things and she headed for the bathroom for a nice hot shower.  
  
  
  
Molly realized as it got closer to noon that she had no idea where she and Lucius were meeting. She doubted that he would come anywhere near Gryffindor tower. So, at quarter till 12 she headed off towards the entrance hall. Most of the student body was filing into the great hall for lunch but Lucius was leaning casually on the oak front door. He nodded a kind of bow.  
  
Molly started over to join him but someone held her back. It was Billius.  
  
"Don't do it," said the small boy.  
  
"It's only lunch," she assured him and continued her walk.  
  
"I'm telling Arthur," Billius called after her.  
  
"You do that." Molly smiled having reached Lucius.  
  
"Ready?" he smiled back at her impressed.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Despite all of the warnings she'd received Molly thought Malfoy behaved like a perfect gentleman. He mostly talked about himself and his home, Malfoy Mannor. Molly was glad he didn't ask too many questions. All in all the lunch was rather uneventful. They ate, talked, he held her hand as they walked by the lake. Then he led her up the steps to the doors of the castle and leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips.  
  
"I had a wonderful time," Lucius said sincerely.  
  
"So did I."  
  
"Shall we do it again sometime."  
  
"I. . ." A thought of Arthur came to Molly's mind but she pushed it back, "I'd like that." Lucius leaned down again and kissed her a little more excitedly, "Good, there's a Hogsmead weekend coming up."  
  
"Sounds great."  
  
"See you Monday, potions." He ran off towards the dungeons and his common room, nearly tripping over his own feet.  
  
Molly giggled.  
  
"What was that about?" Sophie ran over to her, "Why weren't you at lunch?"  
  
"I just had a picnic with Lucius Malfoy."  
  
"What? When did this happen? Tell tell."  
  
The two girls headed up to their own common room, chatting excitedly. On the way they ran into Prof. Dumbledore.  
  
"Miss O'Grady, there you are. You weren't at lunch. Are you feeling alright?"  
  
"Just fine professor," she smiled.  
  
Good good. I just wanted to let you know that I'd gotten an up date on. . ."  
  
"On Lily!" she finished for him.  
  
Dumbledore looked over at Sophie who was also smiling.  
  
"She's known for ages," Molly told him.  
  
"Well then, if you'll just come to my office," he started off in that direction waiting for her to follow, "I'll show you. . ."  
  
"Professor," Molly stopped him, "I got something for her, a - a present. Do you think that I could. . .It's just up in my trunk."  
  
The old professor smiled once more, "go and get it and then hurry to my office. . ."  
  
She started to go.  
  
". . .Mr. Weasley should already be there."  
  
"Arthur?" she stopped again and looked at Dumbledore.  
  
"She's his child too, Molly. I thought he might like to know how she was getting along as well."  
  
"Yes o-of course." Molly hurried up to her dormitory and found the book of Arthur legends and the little sweater she had knitted she hoped it would fit. 


	14. update

A/N: sorry I forgot one more chapter till I introduce Narcissa.  
  
* * *  
  
When Molly reached Dumbledore's office the door was open and Arthur was indeed already there. He was looking at a photograph and smiling. He looked up when he heard Molly enter and the smile fell from his face.  
  
Dumbledore noticed her too, "Oh good, Molly, you're here. I was just showing Arthur a couple of pictures."  
  
Arthur silently handed the pictures to Molly. His fingers brushed against hers. For a second the looked into each other's eyes, but Molly quickly looked down at the photographs. The first was a wizarding photo. One she must not have realized had been taken because it was of her. The Molly in the photo was beaming, completely enthralled with the baby girl in her arms. The second picture must have been developed the muggle way. It was of a baby girl Molly barely recognized, three-months-old with a sprout of bright red hair held in check by a mint green bow. She was lying on her stomach smiling up at the camera, a dimple in her chin and her bright green eyes shining.  
  
"She looks so happy," said Molly wiping a tear off her own cheek and looking up at Prof. Dumbledore, "How did you manage to get this?"  
  
"Ms. Figg has her ways," he smiled. "I've got a letter from her somewhere." He began to search the pockets of his robes, "I must have just. . .Ah I remember now. If you'll just excuse me." Dumbledore walked out of the room leaving Molly and Arthur quite alone.  
  
Molly went back to looking at the pictures.  
  
"So how was your lunch?" Arthur asked her.  
  
"Oh it was fine," she was too busy staring at those green eyes to worry about Lucius now.  
  
But Arthur wouldn't be so easily swayed, "Do you like him, then?"  
  
Molly looked up, "I don't know, Arthur. Do you like Mattie?"  
  
"No," he blurted out but there was no time for further explanation. Dumbledore had returned with the letter.  
  
"Here it is," he unfolded the parchment and read.  
  
Albus, I have been watching over Lily as you asked and I must say she is adjusting to muggle life beautifully. She seems very happy with her adoptive family. Her elder sister is a bit jealous but then even birth siblings will be like that won't they.  
  
"Yeah," both Arthur and Molly said together. They glanced at each other quickly and then looked back up at Dumbledore. He continued reading  
  
You mentioned in your last letter that you may have a few items for me to bring along to Lily on my next visit. Just owl them to me and I'll make sure she receives them. In your service, Arabella P.S. please make sure any gifts will be at home in the muggle world.  
  
"Will these be okay?" Molly asked as Dumbledore refolded the letter. She handed him the sweater and book.  
  
"I don't see why not." He smiled fatherly at her.  
  
"I wish I had something to give her." Arthur shuffled his feet sadly.  
  
"But Arthur," Molly burst out and then finished more calmly, "she already has your eyes." 


	15. Narcissa

A/N: now you will finally meet Narcissa. Let me warn you she's evil. And a question, I've started another story about Lily based on the idea of this one that she's Molly's daughter. I know everyone in the world has their own version of lily's years at hogwarts and the marauders meeting and all that but mine has a little bit of a different spin on it. Let me know if I should start to post that one. If I get enough reviews telling me I should, I will. And somebody give me a good title for it.  
  
* * *  
  
Molly raced to the library with the pictures clutched in her hand. She couldn't wait to talk to Sophie.  
  
"Well?" Sophie jumped up.  
  
Molly shushed her and looked around.  
  
"Sorry," Sophie whispered, "What happened?"  
  
"Come on," Molly led her over to a quiet table away from the other students who were trying to study. When she was sure no one was looking, she handed the pictures to Sophie.  
  
"Oh, Molly," Sophie gushed, "she's beautiful."  
  
"Isn't she?" Molly took back the pictures. She tapped them once with her wand and muttered an incantation so that no one else could see the image. Then before she put them into her pocket she tapped them once more so that they wouldn't be bent or crushed.  
  
"Did you get to talk to Arthur, then?" Sophie asked.  
  
"Not really. But I did ask him if he liked Mattie."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"No." The expression on Molly's face was unreadable.  
  
"So then what about this thing with Lucius?"  
  
"We had a really good time. He was really. . . nice."  
  
"Is he a good kisser?" Sophie whispered suddenly.  
  
Molly blushed, "Yeah."  
  
"Well you're going out with him again. Do think you'll kiss again, maybe even. . .you know."  
  
"Oh I don't think I'm ready for that quite yet," Molly said quickly, "After all, when Arthur and I did it, it was all kind of an accident, really."  
  
There was a gasp and a crash as a load of books fell to the floor. Both girls looked up only in time to see a girl with frizzy dishwater blond hair running out the door.  
  
"Who was that?" Molly asked, worried.  
  
"Second year, Slytherin I think. Her name is Sissy or something."  
  
"Do you think she heard anything?"  
  
* * *  
  
Narcissa Cratt burst into the Slytherin common room and immediately found who she was looking for. Lucius Malfoy was sitting in his favorite green chair in front of the fire looking into the flames.  
  
"Well, Lucius," Narcissa began silkily, with an evil glint in her eye, "Looks like your red-headed goddess isn't as pure as you thought she was." She turned to go, knowing he would stop her.  
  
He rose from his chair and grabbed her shoulder, "What are you on about, Cissa?"  
  
She turned and looked into his stormy grey eyes, wishing he would kiss her like she'd seen him kiss Molly, "Molly O'Grady is a slut! I heard her say it. She's been givin' it away to Arthur Weasley."  
  
Lucius silenced her with a hard slap across the face.  
  
Her hand went up to her cheek.  
  
"You're lying."  
  
I'm not," she continued with a quiver in her voice, "Ask her yourself." The girl turned and headed for her dormitory. 'You will be mine, Lucius Malfoy,' she thought, 'even if I have to sell my soul to the dark lord himself. You will be mine.' 


	16. a very different trip to hogsmead

A/N: I'm starving. . . . starving for reviews.  
  
  
  
Another Hogsmead weekend and Molly couldn't help but think how different it was from her first. Had it really only been a year ago that she had come here with Arthur for the first time? It seemed more like a lifetime ago that he led her to the quiet meadow and she had told him about the baby. But here she was walking down the same road hand in hand with Lucius Malfoy, and it was he who seemed pre-occupied. He had been looking at her very strangely these last few days. She tried to read his expression, it was intense, questioning, even -dare she think it-hurt. She didn't know what she had done to deserve that stare. And he wasn't the only one who was staring. She still hadn't gotten used to all the attention she had started getting from the male population since she had broken up with Arthur. She hadn't even considered the fuss it would cause when she started dating Hogwarts hottest bachelor. Molly was beginning to feel like a muggle movie star.  
  
"We need to talk," Lucius said suddenly, "Alone." He had also noticed the gawking public and wanted to get away from the prying eyes. He grasped Molly's hand a little tighter and led her to the same meadow where she had made her confession to Arthur.  
  
Molly sat down on the grass and waited for him to speak.  
  
Lucius was silent for a time pacing back and forth and raking his hands through his hair.  
  
"What is it, Lucius?" Molly finally asked, her voice full of concern.  
  
He looked at her with that same angry, bewildered, pained look. He dropped down on the ground beside her and looked as if her were about to say something. Then before Molly even had the chance to blink his mouth was clamped over hers and he was tearing at her robe.  
  
She managed to push him back, "Lucius, what are you doing?"  
  
"Isn't this the way you like it?" He pushed her down onto the ground, "Isn't this what you let Weasley do to you?"  
  
"Please, Lucius," Molly tried to get up, to get away but he was on top of her now. His hands were everywhere and his mouth.  
  
"Were there others? You seem to have quite a devoted following or are they just your clientele?"  
  
"Lucius. . .I never. . .You're making a mistake."  
  
"Don't deny you've been shagging Weasley." His eyes were wild with fury, "I know all about last year."  
  
"Lucius, please stop," Molly cried out, "please it was an accident. I wasn't trying to get pregnant."  
  
Lucius stopped. He stared down at her, "You What?!" His face was full of disgust.  
  
Molly was speechless, her eyes wide with fear.  
  
"Got rid. . ." he ripped open her robe, "of your child. . ." the buttons flew off her blouse, "to save your own ass."  
  
Molly screamed.  
  
* * *  
  
Arthur was leaving Dervish and Bangs when he heard the scream. "Molly," he breathed and sprang into action. He was horrified by the scene that met him in the meadow.  
  
"Malfoy, get your hands off her!"  
  
Lucius didn't bother to get up. He merely smirked at Arthur over his shoulder, "What's the matter, Weasley? Thought you could have her all to yourself."  
  
"I said get off her!"  
  
"or else what, Dad."  
  
Arthur had already drawn his wand, "Petrificus Totalus!"  
  
Molly screamed again, the dead weight of the now petrified Malfoy pinned her to the ground.  
  
Arthur quickly levitated him off of her and helped her to her feet.  
  
Molly allowed herself to be held by Arthur, sobbing onto his chest and clutching her torn robe, covering herself. When she had calmed down a bit Arthur led her a little ways away and then went back to deal with Lucius Malfoy.  
  
Molly saw sparks fly. "Arthur, what did you do," she asked when he returned to her.  
  
"Altered his memory," Arthur told her, "He won't be bothering you anymore." 


	17. aftermath

Kimmy, thanks for the ego boost I was beginning to think Katzztar was the only one reading this anymore. And Katzztar, my loyal fan thanks for hanging on. Help me think of a title for my Lily story. Speaking of lily(the storm that is) my patio furniture has yet to blow away, yea! I didn't want to have to chase my garbage cans all over the neighborhood. And you guys, e-mail me anytime. It gets really boring around here with only a 10 month old to talk to. Anywho enjoy. sorry it's so short the next chapter will be longer.  
  
* * *  
  
Lucius Malfoy sat once again in front of the fire in the Slytherin common room staring into the flames. He knew who he was and where he was. But how did he get here. The details of the last few days and weeks were all fuzzy. A face came to his mind, a pretty red-head. But then it was driven from his mind by another face a Gryffindor prefect. Lucius scowled filled with hate. This person was his sworn enemy.  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, Molly was coming down the steps from the bathroom into the Gryffindor common room towel-drying her hair. She had put on a pair of loose jeans and an over large sweater and she looked even smaller than usual.  
  
"Thank you," she said quietly to Arthur who was there waiting for her.  
  
He had wanted to take her to the hospital wing but had respected her wishes to just get back to her dorm and take a hot shower.  
  
"Are you okay?" he asked her.  
  
"I think so. I do feel better now."  
  
"Good," he smiled hesitantly, still looking at her like he thought she would brake.  
  
"What's this?" she didn't want pity so she brought his attention back to the book that was sitting in front of him.  
  
He'd been trying to study but couldn't quite pay attention. "Oh this. It's Muggle Studies."  
  
"I thought you were taking, Arithmancy and Divination?"  
  
"I was last year. . . but after what happed I wanted to know a little bit more about where. . .she. . .er. . .Lily was going to be living. So I dropped Divination and picked up this. It's really very interesting. Look at these." He pointed to the picture, "They're called plugs." 


	18. missplaced

A/N: keep reviewing I love you guys.  
  
  
  
"Where Is It?!" Molly was tearing franticly through her trunk.  
  
"Where's what?" asked Sophie yawning from the four-poster next to Molly's. She looked over at the clock, "Mol, it's 6:30. Can what ever it is wait until a decent hour?"  
  
"My picture," Molly pleaded with her, looked around to make sure no one else was awake and then continued, "of Lily and me. It's gone."  
  
"It'll turn up," Sophie rolled over, "no one else can look at it without the password anyway."  
  
"That's not the point," Molly huffed at her friend who was now sleeping again. Molly flipped through every one of her books again just to make sure the picture wasn't hidden between the pages. When she was satisfied that the picture was not there she repacked the trunk and pulled on her sweater and jeans. There was no way she could go back to sleep at this point. She headed down to the common room to wait for Arthur to ask him if he had seen it.  
  
She would have a while to wait. It was Saturday and most of the other Gryffindors were having a lie in. This was after all the first day of the Christmas hols. Most of them would be leaving in a few hours to go home. But she had decided to stay at school once again. Not that she wouldn't have been welcome at home this year, she just didn't want to spend her whole holiday pretending that Lily didn't exist. Besides, Arthur had decided to stay too. They weren't exactly a couple at the moment. After the whole incident with Lucius she didn't think she wanted a boyfriend for a while. But, Arthur was a great friend. He respected that she needed some time and a little space right now.  
  
Around 8:00 people started to shuffle around trunks were pulled down the stairs. Bathroom and Dormitory doors were opened and slammed shut again.  
  
At about 8:30, Sophie found Molly dozing on the sofa in front of the fire, "Oh there you are. So did you find it?"  
  
"No." Molly mumbled.  
  
"Oh well, I can't help you look for it now. I'm going home you know."  
  
"Yeah I know."  
  
"Look Mol, It'll turn up," Sophie patted her shoulder reassuringly.  
  
"Thanks." Molly tried to smile unconvinced.  
  
Finally Arthur came down the boys staircase headed for the prefects bathroom. "Hey." He smiled joyfully at Molly and Sophie and kissed the top of Molly's head.  
  
"Hi," Sophie smiled back.  
  
Molly looked up at him and asked what she had wanted to all morning, "Have you seen the picture of Lily and I? I can't find it anywhere."  
  
Arthur shot a worried look at Sophie who shrugged, "I-it'll turn up." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself as much as Molly.  
  
"Yeah, that's what she said," Molly frowned. 


	19. a secret

A/N: sorry this is so short I had Christmas day written but I didn't like the way it turned out so I'm rewriting it. I'll get it up as soon as I'm done.  
  
* * *  
  
Arthur and Molly went along to Hogsmead station to say goodbye to all their friends.  
  
"Oh, I wish I could stay," Sophie hugged Molly one more time before getting on the train, "I want to see the look on your face when. . ." Sophie stopped, glanced at Arthur who was giving her a strange look, and covered her mouth with her hand. "Happy Christmas, both of you," she recovered and ran to the train.  
  
"What was that all about?" Molly asked Arthur.  
  
"Nothing," he smiled guiltily.  
  
"Yeah right," Molly playfully swatted him on the arm but didn't question him further.  
  
* * *  
  
They had the whole of Gryffindor tower to themselves. Not that they'd be doing anything. Dumbledore had noticed that theirs were the only two Gryffindor names on the list and had mentioned it the last time he had them in his office for an update on Lily. But they assured him that they had learned their lesson last year and that they were nothing more than really good friends.  
  
And they were true to their word and never got any closer then sitting on the sofa together in front of the fire. She'd lay her head on his shoulder while he read her "the Hobbit". Generally she would fall asleep and he'd have to reread several chapters, but he didn't mind.  
  
"So where were we?" Arthur flipped through the book.  
  
"Bilbo was fighting the spiders with sting," Molly reminded him. "Eww I hate spiders." 


	20. Christmas day

A/N: just a warning this gets a little fluffy at the end. But I hope you like it. Then go read Cycles of the Moon if you haven't started that one yet.  
  
* * *  
  
Molly woke on Christmas morning, happy and content. She lazily watched the snow fall outside knowing she was free to do anything she liked today. Eventually her curiosity got the better of her and she turned to her gifts.  
  
A sweater and socks from Mum, no surprise there. A block of Honeydukes chocolate the size of her fist from Sophie, her best friend knew her well. From Dumbledore: a photograph album with no pictures in it yet but a note that said she would have plenty to fill it, quills from her favorite brother Fred, a bottle of mult-coloured ink from Gurtie. But, not so much as a note from Arthur. She had made sure that his gift (a muggle pocket watch) would arrive with the rest of his gifts. What could he possibly be up to? This is exactly what she was thinking when there was a knock at the door.  
  
"It's open." She called looking up.  
  
"Happy Christmas," Arthur smiled sheepishly staying in the doorway rather than coming in.  
  
"And to you," she grinned back at him.  
  
"May I escort you down to breakfast?"  
  
Molly nodded, "just let me get dressed."  
  
"Alright but hurry," he held up his new watch. "We don't want to be late."  
  
"I won't be a moment." She giggled and he turned and shut the door behind him. She pulled on her new sweater and socks with a plain black skirt and her mary janes.  
  
He was waiting for her in the common room with his eyes on a small wrapped package. When he noticed her coming down the stairs he quickly stuffed the package into his pocket.  
  
"What was that?" she asked curiously.  
  
"Nothing." he grinned offering her his arm, "Lets go eat I'm starved."  
  
She gave him a suspicious look before she took his arm and allowed him to help her out of the portrait hole.  
  
* * *  
  
A chorus of "Happy Christmas," greeted them in the great hall. The few students from the other houses who had stayed for the holidays and the teachers were seated around one table in the center of the room.  
  
Madam Fairweather offered Molly the seat beside her, putting a hand to her cheek, "Congratulations dear."  
  
Molly looked confused.  
  
The teacher looked up at Arthur, "you mean you haven't. . . ." She frowned. "Damned inner eye," she mumbled to herself.  
  
Molly tried to ignore the exchange and turned to Dumbledore, "Thank you so much for the photo album, professor."  
  
"You're most welcome," He nodded and then winked at Arthur.  
  
Molly frowned and whispered to Arthur, "I am beginning to think there's something everyone here knows but me."  
  
"Hmm?" he looked back at her innocently.  
  
Just then Headmaster Dippit did something he didn't often do. He smiled, "Lets eat."  
  
The food that appeared on their plates was the best Molly had ever tasted. But she couldn't shake the feeling that everyone else in the room knew something she didn't. The winks and knowing glances were really starting to bother her.  
  
"Okay, what's going on?!" she finally shouted angrily.  
  
Everyone got quiet and looked from her to Arthur.  
  
"Molly I. . ." he began.  
  
"Well?" she huffed.  
  
Arthur looked down at his plate. With everyone staring at him, he had lost all his nerve, "I. . ."  
  
Molly threw up her hands and stormed out of the great hall.  
  
"Well go after her ya dope," Heathcliff the Hufflepuff smacked Arthur up the back side of his head.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Arthur got up and ran after her.  
  
* * *  
  
He found her pacing the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"You made me feel really stupid back there," she ranted not looking at him.  
  
"I'm sorry," He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I just wanted it to be a surprise."  
  
"So you told the rest of the world?"  
  
He didn't know what to say.  
  
Finally, Molly's curiosity got the better of her, "So, what is it?"  
  
Arthur smiled at her cautiously.  
  
She looked at him even more curiously.  
  
Arthur looked extremely nervous. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out the package she had seen him holding before, "I wanted to give you this."  
  
Molly sat in the chair behind her as she took the package, looked from it to Arthur and back to the package again, and then began to open it. Inside she found the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen.  
  
Arthur kneeled in front of her chair, searching her face for a reaction.  
  
"Arthur, it's beautiful."  
  
"It should be a ring, I know."  
  
Molly stared at him wide eyed.  
  
"Yeah, I know we're a little young but I want you to know I'm serious when I tell you that I want to marry you."  
  
"Arthur," she gasped.  
  
"Not right away of course, but after we've both graduated." He rambled on, "I'll graduate first and then I'll have a little bit of time to get a job and a house and then when you graduate. . ."  
  
He couldn't continue. She had thrown herself into his arms and was kissing him repeatedly.  
  
"Can I take that as a yes?" he laughed.  
  
"Oh yes, Arthur." Molly was laughing and crying at the same time. She looked down again at the necklace.  
  
"It's a locket," Arthur told her excitedly.  
  
Molly looked for a clasp, but didn't find so much as a seam.  
  
"Here." Arthur took her hand holding the pendant and brought it close to his lips. "Pendragon," he whispered.  
  
The locket magically opened in Molly's hand to reveal the picture she thought she had lost.  
  
"Oh Arthur," She smiled through tears, "It's the best . . .the most wonderful." She threw her arms around him once again. "I love you."  
  
* * *  
  
A/N: I open it up to suggestions now. What do you want to hear about next now that I've got them together? 


	21. the burrow

A/N: wow it's been a while since I updated this one. Actually it's been a while since I've written anything. My writing has just really sucked lately. This is a little fluffy but it's pretty good I think. Let me know what you think.  
  
* * *  
  
"Alright, keep your eyes closed."  
  
"They are closed, Arthur." Molly took one unsure step after another as Arthur led her over the uneven ground. They had apparated ten minutes before just outside the small village of Ottery St. Catchpole.  
  
"What are we doing here anyway? What did you want to show me?"  
  
"It's a surprise."  
  
"I hate surprises," she mumbled.  
  
"You'll like this one. Now watch your step."  
  
"How am I supposed to watch my step and keep my eyes closed?"  
  
Arthur chuckled, "Just a little further."  
  
Molly thought back over the events that had brought her here. She was in her 7th and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She had Arthur had finally set a date for the wedding. It would be the middle of July after she graduated. Her mother had finally warmed up to the idea of having Arthur Weasley as a son-in-law, although they still weren't on the best of terms.  
  
The Weasleys had also wanted to get to know Molly a little better. This is why they had invited her to stay with them for the Easter hols. She had ridden in a compartment on the train with three of Arthur's siblings Billius, Charlotte, and sweet soft-spoken Daphne. And then at the train station had been bombarded by the rest of the family. Ten-year-old Edmond was jumping up and down saying, "I'm going to Hogwarts next year." Nine- year-old Franny ignored him greeting Molly politely like a young lady, "I'm so glad you could come and stay with us." Little six-year-old Gwinevere wouldn't be left out either she tugged on Molly's skirt, "Am I really gonna be a flower in the wedding?" Molly had hardly gotten a moments peace until this afternoon when Arthur insisted on having her to himself.  
  
"Now," He said finally, bringing her back to the present, "Open your eyes."  
  
The sight that met her was what looked to be a large stone pigpen with a couple of rooms added on and a couple of chimneys poking out the top.  
  
Molly suppressed a giggle, "What is it?"  
  
"Weasley Manor," Arthur answered poshly.  
  
She laughed outright.  
  
"Come see the inside."  
  
Molly looked around the small kitchen and the cozy livingroom. She noted a couple of things that she would be transfiguring as soon as she got the chance to make it look less like a bachelor pad.  
  
"What do you think?" Arthur asked her expectantly.  
  
"It's a bit small," she thought practically.  
  
"We can add more rooms as we need them."  
  
"How many do you think we're going to need?" She smiled slyly at him.  
  
"Oh I don't know, eight, twelve." He joked.  
  
She laughed, "You make it sound like we're going to be going at it like rabbits."  
  
He took her in his arms, "And we'll be as cozy as can be in our little burrow."  
  
The kiss they shared was sweet and warm like home itself.  
  
"The burrow," said Molly when they broke the kiss. "That's what we'll call it."  
  
"Yeah, that does fit the place doesn't it." Arthur grinned at her. "Come on I've got more to show you." He led her into the first of two bedrooms. It was small and had yet to be furnished. "I thought this could be the nursery when we're ready for it."  
  
"Arthur," Molly looked up at him seriously, "Could we maybe wait a bit? I'm taking this potion now you know and with every thing that we've been through. . . I just thought maybe. . . if you don't mind. I'd like it to be just the two of us for a while."  
  
He bent down and kissed her again, "We've got all the time in the world and I'm not ready to share you yet anyway. Come see our room."  
  
They crossed the hall to a slightly larger bedroom that was dominated by a big oak frame bed.  
  
"Oh, Arthur," Molly gasped running her hand over the carved headboard.  
  
"It belonged to my grandparents. They wanted us to have it as a wedding present."  
  
"It's beautiful."  
  
"It's been in the family for ages. The legend is that it was charmed by one of my ancestors." Arthur scratched his head and smiled, "Could explain the Weasley fertility."  
  
Molly had sat down on the edge of the bed it was soft yet firm. "Well we already know you're fertile," she teased pulling him down onto the bed with her.  
  
He tickled her and she giggled.  
  
"So you're really going to marry me?" Arthur stated more than asked.  
  
"I've never wanted anything so much as to be your wife." 


	22. the Beatles and the ball

A/N: over a month since I last up dated. Please don't sue me. My son had the flu and then my husband and I got it and then my son had his first birthday. And then I was in a musical and blew everyone away with my voice. ( I got a complement from Micheal W. Smith) and then what do you know it's suddenly Thanksgiving and Christmas is right around the corner. Luv to you all and thanks for sticking with me. I'll try to get more up of my other stories when I can. Enjoy.  
  
Disclaimer: as always neither the Weasleys or the Beatles belong to me. And Rest in Peace George. Friday is the 1st anniversary of his death. And all my best to his wife Olivia and son Dhani.  
  
* * *  
  
Molly had very much enjoyed her holidays with the Weasley family and was almost dreading going back to school. She shook her head. She wasn't going to think about the N.E.W.T.s until she absolutely had to.  
  
"Are you alright?" Mrs. Weasley asked her as they washed the dinner dishes together.  
  
Molly smiled at her, "Just trying not to think about going back to school."  
  
"We've loved having you, dear." Mrs. Weasley patted her hand, "Why don't you go flip on the wireless and we'll have some music."  
  
"Alright," Molly wiped her hands dry on her apron and turned on the old radio in the corner. Tommy Steele was crooning some song about a love potion. They went back to their cleaning and chatted about the upcoming wedding. They didn't even really notice the new song coming on until they heard a scream.  
  
Daphne came running into the room. She slid across the smooth kitchen floor in her stocking feet plopped down in front of the radio.  
  
Molly laughed. It was then that she recognized who it was on the radio. She hadn't known any of them well but they had all been at Hogwarts. They had left in the middle of her third year to pursue a music career in the muggle world. She tapped her foot along to the music. They were quite good.  
  
"And that was the Beatles," said the Wireless announcer when the song had ended, "Not that you really need me to tell you that. But I will tell you that these four lads who have taken the magical and muggle world by storm will be performing at this years graduation ball at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
  
Daphne jumped up and rushed over to her mother, "Mummy, can I go? Please can I go?"  
  
"Well," Mrs. Weasley began looking down at her daughter, "I believe the ball is only for the graduates and their dates. Isn't that right, Molly?"  
  
Molly nodded sympatheticly at Daphne. "But hey, if you let me borrow one of your posters I'll see if I can get them to sign it."  
  
"Would you?" Daphne brightened.  
  
"Sure, what are sisters for."  
  
* * *  
  
Once back at Hogwarts Molly did little else than study. She knew she didn't really want to do anything near as exciting with her life as work at the Ministry. She'd leave that to people like her fiancé, but that didn't mean she would slack off on her N.E.W.T.s. She was very glad that her mother and Mrs. Weasley were getting along and they seemed to have the wedding plans well in hand.  
  
And then before she knew it Molly was walking out of her last exam. She had studied hard and done everything she could possibly do and now all she had to do was wait for the results. Tomorrow evening was the graduation ball. Arthur would arrive shortly before seven to be her escort.  
  
"Well, we did it." Sophie walked beside her, "no more teachers, no more books."  
  
"It's kind of sad isn't it." Molly sighed.  
  
"Well if you think never having to sit through another of Crockford's lectures, sad."  
  
"No, I won't miss that," Molly laughed, "It's just this place. I can't believe we're actually leaving Hogwarts and we'll never come back."  
  
"Oh, I think you'll find plenty of reasons to come back and visit," said Sophie playfully. "After all Dumbledore said Lily will be able to come when she's old enough and there's half a dozen Weasleys who haven't graduated yet, and who knows how many more once you two get started."  
  
Molly smiled and elbowed her friend in the ribs, "I guess you're right."  
  
"Of course I'm right."  
  
* * *  
  
The 7th year girls were joined in their dorm by Charlotte and Daphne Weasley while they got ready for the graduation ball.  
  
"Can you believe they actually got the Beatles to come and play?" Charlie was asking anyone who would listen. Daphne was pouting, mumbling about how unfair it was that they couldn't go. "I heard they have a time turner to be able to make it to all their shows."  
  
"Can you believe Terence Jordan actually got up the nerve to ask out Gurtie?" Sophie threw a curler at Gurtie.  
  
Gurtie threw it right back, "Well he didn't have to do it in the middle of the Qudditich game."  
  
"Ah," Molly grinned at her, "I thought it was cute the way he snuck the invite in with is commentary when you scored."  
  
"It certainly took him long enough for someone who talks as much as he does," Gurtie huffed, "I've been trying to get him to ask me out for ages."  
  
Then Molly noticed how sad Daphne looked, "Why don't you go down and tell the boys we're almost ready?"  
  
Daphne jumped up glad to have something to do.  
  
"Well, that's that," Molly looked in the mirror again and patted her hair once more, "I'm ready how about you."  
  
"I'm ready," Sophie smiled.  
  
"And me," Gurtie shrugged, "ready as I'll ever be."  
  
"You all look so beautiful," Charlie said in awe of the older girls.  
  
"Thank you," Molly nodded at her.  
  
The girls were met in the common room by the adoring looks of Arthur and Terence and several of their other housemates. Sophie's date was from Ravenclaw and would be meeting her in the entrance hall. Together they went out the portrait hole and down to the ball.  
  
"Wait! Wait!" they heard behind them. Daphne slid (once again in her stocking feet) across the floor and her brother caught her before she crashed down a flight of stairs. She turned blushing to Molly, "My poster, you promised you'd get them to sign it."  
  
"Oh of course I will," Molly took the poster from the smaller girl and gave her a hug, "I almost forgot."  
  
"Thanks Molly," Daphne grinned before she ran back toward the common room.  
  
* * *  
  
The ball was wonderful. Arthur and Molly danced to one of Molly's favorite songs "Till there was you." And she told Arthur that they would have to dance to that one at there wedding.  
  
The Beatles sounded even better live than they did on the wireless.  
  
"Apparate to you - oo baby, I'll apparate to you - oo," they sang. "That was one of our new ones that's been on the top of the wizarding wireless charts for 13 weeks."  
  
The crowd cheered.  
  
"And now if you don't mind we're gonna take a little brake but we'll be back soon for more."  
  
Molly took the opportunity while they were off the stage having something to drink to see about getting Daphne's poster signed.  
  
"Ah, so you're already a fan?" said Ringo inking his quill and signing his name.  
  
Molly smiled, "It's actually for my soon-to-be sister-in-law."  
  
"Oh, so your brother's getting married?" John raised his eyebrows teasingly.  
  
"No, I am, in July," said Molly shyly.  
  
John stumbled back into his chair clutching his chest.  
  
"Are you alright?" Molly asked concerned.  
  
John sighed, "You've broken me heart."  
  
"Not to mention the heart of every other wizard on the planet," George added.  
  
Molly giggled.  
  
Then Paul took her hand, "He's a lucky lad, whoever he is."  
  
She nearly swooned.  
  
"You're not old enough to get married, are you?" Ringo asked bringing her back to the present.  
  
"I'm seventeen."  
  
"Seventeen, eh?" John jumped up, "Well then this next song is for you."  
  
The Beatles took the stage once again.  
  
"She was just seventeen you know what I mean. And the way she looked was way beyond compare. Now all never dance with another Since I saw her standing there." 


	23. the Wedding

A/N: Thanks to all of you who received invitations and took the time to R.S.V.P.: Jemi Fal, Kate Potter, Kyra Potter, Kimmy Larisa, oO WTH, Meir Brin, Keva, animegirl-mika, Slone, and my dear friend Cissa who is my fabulous beta reader and made me describe Molly's dress. The bride and groom would like to thank Meir Brin for her gift on behalf of The Hogwarts Fanfiction Academy of 500 Galleons (although they were not told that this money was stolen from the Gringotts vault of one Mr. Lucius Malfoy), and oO WTH for her gift of a beautiful clock.  
  
Disclaimer: as always none of these beautiful people belong to me except Sophie and Gertie and Terrence and of course Gwin Weasley but then I don't own the Weasley name either. I love you J. K. imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery.  
  
* * *  
  
The day of the wedding drew closer. Molly and Arthur searched for the perfect place to have the ceremony. What they found was an ancient oak tree in Nonsuch Park in the county of Surrey. Professor Dumbledore was asked to officiate, and he was very pleased to do so. Robes were fitted, flowers chosen, and invitations sent out.  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Fergus O'Grady  
  
cordially invite you to witness the marriage of their daughter,  
  
Molly Fae,  
  
to Mr. Arthur Gawain Weasley,  
  
in a ceremony to be held  
  
under the English Oak, Nonsuch Park, Surrey  
  
on the twenty-third of June at one p.m. nineteen hundred sixty-four  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
an apparation point will be determined  
  
and portkeys will be made available  
  
for those who do not wish or are not able to apparate.  
  
The bride and groom are registered at  
  
Kettles and Caldrons  
  
Sophie was chosen as Molly's Maid of Honor and Arthur's brother Billius was his best man. Everything was going swimmingly until the day before the wedding little Gwin who was so looking forward to being the flower girl came down with the mumps.  
  
"Well, I guess it's not essential that we have a flower girl," said Molly a bit sadly.  
  
Arthur agreed, "It really wouldn't be fair to choose someone else with this short notice." So they decided to just go without.  
  
The day of the wedding dawned bright and fair. Hosts of Muggle repelling charms were put up around the sight, along with three tents. The two smaller tents would be used as dressing rooms for the bridal party. The largest would provide shade for the reception following ceremony.  
  
At last the time had come. Sophie had already taken her walk up the aisle and now Molly and her father were waiting for the Wedding March to begin.  
  
Molly looked like a princess. Her delicate silk charmuse dress clung attractively to her curves, draped gracefully over her legs, and pooled luxuriously around her bare feet. The sleeves, which left her creamy shoulders bare, were tight down to her elbows where they opened up into voluminous bells that trailed down past her knees. Over this she wore a cloak of the lightest, airiest velvet, embroidered white on white with paisley and vines and trimmed around the edges with gold braid. Her curls were left wild but for the two tiny braids that came from her temples and met at the back of her head. And on her head she wore a gold filigree crown dripping with pearls and flowing from it a veil sheer as a moonbeam. Around her neck she wore her locket and in her hands she carried a single pure white lily.  
  
In all of the excitement no one seemed to notice a four-year-old little girl wander through the trees. She was wearing a white sundress, had long red hair and was holding a bouquet of freshly picked daisies. She didn't look at all out of place. In fact the O'Gradys seemed to think she was just another Weasley and the Weasleys had her pegged for an O'Grady. She did indeed resemble both the bride and the groom.  
  
Molly couldn't breath as she watched the little girl skip up the aisle in front of her, just as if she was meant to be there. Arthur was too focused on Molly to worry about the child. But Molly saw a worried look pass from Dumbledore to Arabella Figg, who sat in the second row shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
By the time Molly and her Father had made their way to the front, Dumbledore had silently communicated to Arabella to escort the child out when she got the chance and had regained his composure. Then he spoke, "Friends, we have been invited here to share with Arthur and Molly in a most important time in their lives. In the time they have been together, their love for and understanding of each other has grown and matured. Now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife.  
  
"Today they promise to face the future together, accepting whatever may lie ahead. For the world that God has created for them, with its beauty and grace that is all around, with the strength that it offers and the peace that it brings, makes them truly grateful.  
  
"Arthur and Molly, nothing is easier than saying words and nothing harder than living them day after day. What you promise today must be renewed and re-decided tomorrow. At the end of this ceremony legally you will be man and wife, but you still must decide each day that stretches out before you, that you want to be married.  
  
"Real love is something beyond the warmth and glow, the excitement and romance of being deeply in love. It is caring as much about the welfare and happiness of your marriage partner as about your own. But real love is not total absorption in each other; it is looking outward in the same direction --together. Love makes burdens lighter, because you divide them. It makes joys more intense because you share them. It makes you stronger so you can reach out and become involved with life in ways you dared not risk alone. Love is the greatest and strongest magic there is.  
  
"Who brings Molly to stand beside Arthur?"  
  
Molly's parents answered, "We do."  
  
Dumbledore then addressed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as well, "Parents, are you willing, now and always to support and strengthen this marriage by upholding both Arthur and Molly with your love and concern?"  
  
Both sets of parents responded, "We are."  
  
Molly's father gave her a kiss on the cheek before sitting down beside his wife.  
  
Dumbledore then turned to the groom, "Arthur, this woman whom you hold by the hand is to be your wife. She has given you one of the most sacred things under heaven: a woman's life and a woman's love. You may bring her great joy or cause her great sorrow. It is not what you bring her in a material way that will make happiness - riches without love are nothing. The gift without the giver is bare. The practice of those virtues as a husband that you have shown as a lover will keep her heart won to your heart. Do you vow here, as you have promised that you will be true and loyal, patient in sickness, comforting in sorrow, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her for so long as you both shall live?"  
  
Arthur beamed at Molly, "I will."  
  
Dumbledore spoke the next words to Molly, "Molly, this man whom you hold by the right hand is to be your husband. On your life, your love, and devotion he will lean for strength and inspiration. He is going to look to you for encouragement, for cheerfulness and confidence. May your life and your love be his constant inspiration. Do you vow here, as you have promised that you will be loyal in adversity, ministering to him in affliction, comforting him in sorrow, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only to him for so long as you both shall live?"  
  
Molly felt like she was in a dream she looked at Arthur, at Dumbledore, even down at the little girl who was smiling back up at her. Then she looked at Arthur again. There was no question about it, "I will."  
  
"Arthur, what token do you give of the vows you have made?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"A ring." Arthur looked a bit nervous, trying to remember the words he had memorized. Billius handed him the ring and then he softly began his vow, "Molly, I love you. Today is a very special day. Long ago you were just a dream and a prayer. This day like a dream come true, that prayer has been answered. For today, Molly, you as my joy become my crown. I thank God for the honor of going through time with you. Thank you for being what you are to me. With our future bright, I will care for you, honor and protect you. I lay down my life for you, Molly, my friend and my love. Today I give to you me."  
  
"Molly, what token do you give of the vows you have made?" Dumbledore asked Molly.  
  
"A ring." The grin on Sophie's face could not have possibly been bigger as she handed the ring to Molly. And then Molly said her vow, "Arthur, I love you and I know you love me. I am confident that God has chosen you to be my husband. It is my prayer and desire that you will find in me the helpmate designed especially for you, and in confidence I will submit myself unto you. Therefore, Arthur, I pledge to you my life as an obedient, faithful and loving wife. Whither thou goest I will go, whither thou lodgest I will lodge, Thy people shall be my people, And thy God my God."  
  
Dumbledore winked at her as he spoke, "Arthur and Molly, we have heard you promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the covenant you have made. It is not a minister standing before you that makes your marriage real, but the honest and sincerity of what you have said and done here before your friends and relatives in the sight of God." He was positively grinning when by the time he looked up to the assembly to make the pronouncement, "Forasmuch as Arthur and Molly have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and this company, by the authority committed unto me, I declare that Arthur and Molly are now husband and wife, according to the ordinance of God and the laws of our people: in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Whom therefore God hath joined together, let no man put assunder."  
  
"You can kiss her now," Dumbledore whispered nudging Arthur with his elbow.  
  
Arthur jumped. "Oh, yeah." He drew Molly to him and kissed her very sweetly on the mouth, nearly oblivious to the cheering crowd. Dumbledore waited for them to finish and then spoke again, "Now the ceremony is over and the experience of living day by day as married people is about to begin. Go forth to meet it, gladly, love life so it will love you. May blessings of God be with you.  
  
"I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley"  
  
Molly had all but forgotten about the little redhaired girl in the flourish of the kiss and the pronouncement and now walking back down the aisle arm in arm with her husband. But then as they waited in the receiving line, she heard something through the bushes.  
  
"Arabella, thank God you were here. You found her," came the voice of a woman Molly had never heard before.  
  
"Gotta' watch this one she's quick." Now, that was Bella.  
  
"We had told Petunia to keep an eye on her while we set up the picnic. They were picking daisies, and then we looked up and she was gone."  
  
Then Molly heard for the first time the voice of the child, "Mummy, I saw a beautiful princess and she was marrying a handsome prince."  
  
"What an imagination this one has," Arabella covered.  
  
Sophie's voice brought Molly back to the present. "Cute little girl," she whispered. "But how did she get through the Muggle repelling charms?"  
  
"She," began Molly slowly, now realizing fully who the little girl really was, "She wasn't a Muggle,".  
  
"You don't mean. . ."  
  
"That was Lily. I know it."  
  
They weren't able to finish the conversation what with all the congratulations and dancing and eating cake and drinking champagne. Gertie caught Molly's bouquet, and Terrence found someone to hide behind. Before they knew it Arthur and Molly were saying their goodbyes and preparing to apparate off to their own home.  
  
They didn't apparate directly into the house but right onto the front step. Then Arthur swung his bride up into his arms and carried her over the threshold into their new home. He carried her into the bedroom and laid her softly onto the big oak bed. Molly giggled all the way.  
  
"Arthur," she said as he held her tightly and kissed her.  
  
"Yes, Luv."  
  
"I think maybe I don't want to wait so long before we have a baby."  
  
"Really? I mean, what brought this on?"  
  
"Well, just seeing Lily and how sweet she is."  
  
"Seeing Lily?" Arthur looked confused.  
  
"The little girl who wandered into the wedding, that was Lily."  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't notice," Arthur stared at her lovingly. "I was too busy marring the most beautiful woman in the world."  
  
And with that he drove every other thought out of her head. 


	24. Mother in law

A/N: a quick thank you to evilgoat a.k.a. Flamehail for your RSVP to the wedding since I posted the story before your e-mail got to me and thank you for the toaster although Molly won't go near it, Arthur has quite enjoyed taking it apart to see how it works. Now, here's another nice long chapter for all you nice folks. Enjoy  
  
* * *  
  
Molly threw herself on to the bed. She buried her tearstained face in a pillow and wailed. The conformation had been there this morning. This month once again she was not pregnant.  
  
She had stopped taking the contraceptive potion only a month after she and Arthur had gotten married. They'd decided if it happened it happened, but nothing happened. After about a year they really started trying. Molly read every book she could find about rhythm and position. For three years she tried every potion and spell that she heard mentioned.  
  
Molly had been so sure that this would be the month, she would finally be a Mummy again. But this time she would be able to raise her child under her own roof, nurse her child on her breast, watch it grow up, rather than just get updates on its progress rarely at best. But again she had been wrong. She was right on schedule as usual.  
  
She knew Arthur would be disappointed, too. But he was just a man, he didn't know how it really felt, to have your own body lie to you, to be sure that you were carrying a life inside you and then realize that it was only your imagination making you think you were nauseous and tired and well, pregnant.  
  
She had so hoped that this would be the month that she could give him good news. They had been so short on good news lately. Just three weeks ago they had gotten the owl from Charlotte. Billius had seen the Grim. They'd written her back and told her not to worry, that it was just a myth and he would be just fine. But not 24 hours later they got the news. Billius Weasley had passed away from some unknown illness.  
  
Molly sat up and wiped her eyes. What good did it do to cry? She'd cried enough lately. It would only give her a headache on top of the pain in her stomach. She got up and went to the kitchen. There she whipped up a pain- relieving potion for herself, drank it and looked around. The house was clean. Dinner wouldn't take more than an hour or so to fix and she didn't expect Arthur home for at least another 5 hours. She would go and visit her Mum.  
  
Cerdwin O'Grady's health had started to go down hill after she lost her husband last year. She just didn't have her spark for life anymore. Her older children were spread out all over the world and rarely came to visit. It was her own fault. She pushed them away. She was never a very pleasant person to be around. And her countenance hadn't improved with the death of her husband.  
  
"Hello Mother," Molly called as she apparated into the kitchen of her childhood home.  
  
"So you've come to visit your dieing mother." Mrs. O'Grady called back to her from the sitting room, "Well come on in and visit with me, then."  
  
Molly took a deep breath and composed herself before what she knew would be another confrontation about something or other. She mustered up a smile, "How are you doing today, Mum?"  
  
"How do you expect? I'm dieing aren't I?"  
  
"Now, Mum, you mustn't talk like that. You look quite well today."  
  
"If you're going to tell me how I am, why did you ask?"  
  
Molly sighed and sat on the sofa next to her mother's rocking chair. They sat like that in uncomfortable silence for sometime, until Cerdwin could stand it no longer.  
  
"Look," the older woman's harsh voice startled Molly. "If you've come to tell me you still haven't gotten pregnant, I'm not surprised."  
  
"How did you. . ."  
  
"It's your time of the month, isn't it? Mothers know these things. And now you're distraught about it. Well, don't be."  
  
Molly fought back tears that were beginning to form behind her eyes, "How can I not be distraught? Arthur and I have wanted a baby for so long."  
  
"You had your chance," Cerdwin sneered at her daughter. "Thought you could get away with having a baby at 13. Well, fate is just paying you back."  
  
"Mother, how could you say such a thing?"  
  
"I'll say what I please. You've made your bed and now you're going to lie in it, like it or not."  
  
"It's not true, Mother," Molly stood and readied herself to get away as quickly as she could. "Arthur and I will have another baby. The right time just hasn't come yet."  
  
"Suit yourself. Get your hopes up time after time only to have them dashed to pieces. Don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
That was the last thing Molly heard her mother say as she apparated back to the Burrow very nearly splinching herself in her hurry and hysterics.  
  
* * *  
  
One month and three days later. . .  
  
"What did it say?!" Molly asked Sophie nervously. Sophie had recently finished her mediwitch training.  
  
"The test takes a few minutes. Have patience." She had converted the small bathroom into a lab to do the test.  
  
Molly paced up and down the hall mumbling, "You'd think the wizarding community would have come up with a faster way to tell if a person was pregnant by now."  
  
"Molly, it's going to be fine," Sophie reassured her.  
  
Molly seemed not to hear her, "I'm only three days late. I'm not going to get my hopes up. I'm just going to tell myself I'm not and then I won't be disappointed." She spun around to face Sophie. "Is that sodding test done yet?"  
  
Just then the egg timer Sophie had set went "Ding."  
  
"Done," Sophie smiled. Molly blanched. "Do you want to look or do you want me to?"  
  
"I can't do it," Molly squeaked.  
  
"Okay," Sophie shrugged. She walked into the bathroom and then back out with a huge smile on her face which Molly didn't see because she had her eyes clamped shut and was repeating "I'm not going to get my hopes up," over and over.  
  
"Molly," said Sophie putting a hand on her shoulder, "you're gonna be a mummy."  
  
Molly screamed. Then Sophie screamed. They jumped around in circles screaming together.  
  
That's exactly how Arthur found them when he Apparated in from work. "What's wrong?" He rushed into the hallway alarmed at what he might find.  
  
Molly ran up to him and kissed him hard on the mouth. He pushed her back rather reluctantly, (because he did quite enjoy the greeting) "What's going on here?"  
  
Molly couldn't get the words out before Sophie rushed over and hugged the both of them, "We're gonna have a baby."  
  
"Molly, is she telling the truth?" As if he had to ask. Tears of joy were pouring down Molly's face as she shook her head in agreement.  
  
"We're gonna have a baby," Arthur repeated trying to make it sound real, "WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BABY! WOO HOO!!!" He picked up his pregnant wife and spun her around. Then he quite abruptly thought better of it and put her down, "Are you okay? Do you need to sit down? Put your legs up? Can I get you a glass of milk?"  
  
"Merlin, I've gotta find me a man like that." Sophie shook her head and laughed. "She's just pregnant she's not made of glass. You kiddies have fun, I'm out of here."  
  
"Oh, Sophie, thank you so much for doing the test for me," Molly gave her friend a hug.  
  
"Least I could do. I'll see you soon. I know of a good midwife, I'll give her your name and she'll contact you soon."  
  
"Alright, thanks again, Bye."  
  
"Bye." Sophie popped out of sight.  
  
Molly and Arthur looked at each other lovingly then she squealed and they hugged again.  
  
"So who do you want to tell first?" Arthur asked her.  
  
"My mother," Molly got a mischievous look in her eye, "I wanna rub her nose in it."  
  
  
  
"Hello Mother," Molly cried happily as she apparated once again into her mother's kitchen.  
  
"Hello Molly," This was not her mother's voice but instead that of her sister. She was sitting at the kitchen table with her arms folded over her chest, "Did you get my owl?"  
  
"Owl? Why no, I just came to tell Mum. . . Oh, Averill it's just too wonderful. I'm pregnant."  
  
"That's great Molly," Averill smiled for a moment and then an unreadable expression came over her face. "Molly, Mum's dead. She past away in her sleep last night."  
  
"No, but. . ." Molly didn't know what to say, "but I just saw her a few weeks ago. S-she looked just fine then."  
  
"None the less, it's true. It was a kind of brain aneurysm. There wasn't any pain."  
  
Molly collapsed into a kitchen chair as Arthur appeared in the room with a slight pop. "I just got the owl," He said to Averill. "Molly, are you okay?"  
  
"I'll be just fine. It's just so sudden."  
  
  
  
The next few days were a blur as Molly watched her childhood home be sold away to pay for the funeral expenses. It just barely covered them. The Will was read. Just as she had promised (or rather threatened), Cerdwin had cut Molly out of the will after the embarrassment she had caused when she was 13. Her older siblings told her they would give her a share anyway but she turned them down. "It's not the way she wanted it."  
  
At the wake Molly got a chance to say her goodbye. "Well Mum, I proved you wrong. I'm married, I'm happy and I'm going to have a baby. We never got along very well but I tried to do my best by you after Daddy died." She chuckled, "You just had to have the last word didn't you. You couldn't wait around another day for me to tell you that you were wrong. Well, you were wrong Mum." A single tear fell down her cheek, "but you're still my Mum and I love you. I'm sorry you won't ever get to meet your grandchildren. I know you would have loved them if you gave yourself half the chance." Her voice broke and she found it hard to go on, "I'm going to go now, Mother. Arthur's waiting. Goodbye, Mum." 


	25. Baby Bill

A/N: hey people I know it's been about a million years since I've written anything and I'm sorry. I was actually pregnant and lost the baby at two months so you can image it was hard for me to write about Molly having baby Bill. Anywho, I'm doing much better now. The dr. said we could try again for another baby when ever we're ready and of course we're not stoppin' till we get that Weasley 7. and I wrote a new chapter so yea for that. I'm also going back and doing some re-writing so I may be reposting this one at some time. Enjoy.  
  
* * *  
  
Molly lay in the big oak bed holding her tiny little boy who was only hours old. This labor had gone much smoother than her first. She had been awake for the whole thing and her blood pressure had stayed within normal limits. Arthur sat beside her, cooing at their son. Across the room Sophie sat dozing in a rocking chair.  
  
Dear Sophie, Molly thought, she had been staying with them for the last week so Molly could rest and she had just assisted with her first delivery. The midwife had already gone having other deliveries to attend to and had left Sophie to watch over the new parents and child.  
  
Just then Molly thought she heard voices coming from the other room. "Now who could that be?" she wondered aloud.  
  
"I'll go and check," Arthur said smiling. Of course he had done little but smile since he was introduced to his new son. He looked down at him now. "Now don't you go doing anything cute while I'm gone."  
  
Arthur kissed his son and his wife and then went to investigate the noise. He returned after a few minutes and opened the door but Daphne pushed into the room ahead of him.  
  
"Where's that nephew of mine?" She was followed by Arthur's mother Genevieve and Charlotte.  
  
Charlotte had a sad sort of smile on her face. She hadn't been the same since the death of her twin nearly a year ago.  
  
Molly handed off the baby to her mother-in-law.  
  
"He certainly is a handsome little thing," said Genevieve, her eyes filling up with tears of joy. He was not her first grandchild but the first she was able to see and hold. Charlotte and Daphne stood on either side of her watching their new nephew stretch and open his eyes.  
  
"Ah," Daphne gushed, "What's his name?"  
  
Molly looked up at Arthur and then pointedly at Charlotte. "We were thinking of calling him Bill, if that would be . . ."  
  
"It's perfect," Charlotte exclaimed before Molly could finish, "may I hold him?" She looked from her mother to Molly and then back to her mother.  
  
Molly nodded and Genevieve reluctantly passed the baby to her eldest daughter.  
  
"Good luck getting him back," said Daphne.  
  
Charlotte gave her sister a frown and then looked lovingly down at the baby, "Welcome to the family, Bill Weasley."  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry I must have dozed off," Sophie said stretching and getting up from her chair, "Hello Mrs. Weasley, Charlie, Daph."  
  
"How are you Miss Clearwater?" Arthur's mother asked her.  
  
"Very well, thank you Ma'am," Sophie answered, "but I think I will leave you all to your visiting." Sophie started towards the door and Charlotte took the rocking chair she had vacated.  
  
"Oh, you're not going on our account I hope," said Genevieve.  
  
"Oh no actually I was just . . ." Sophie stopped when they all heard another "pop" from the other room, "I'll just go see who that is."  
  
They were silent until she returned saying, "Look who I found lurking about in the kitchen."  
  
"I was most certainly not lurking about, Miss Clearwater," said none other than Albus Dumbledore as he made his usual grand entrance into the room, "Molly and Arthur I have just come to tell you," his eyes swept the room until he caught sight of the little bundle in Charlotte's arms, "Good gracious, he's arrived." Dumbledore crossed the room and knelt down beside the chair where Charlotte sat with the baby.  
  
"His name is Bill," Charlotte told him.  
  
"And a wonderful name it is for a wonderful little wizard. Uh, may I?" he asked, and Charlotte not being able to refuse her old professor handed the baby carefully to him. Dumbledore stood. "Wonderful indeed," he said smiling down at little Bill.  
  
Molly had a bit of a flash back to a time when this man had held her first child just before she had to give Lily away. She had to stop herself from jumping up and screaming, 'No. You can't have him. He's mine.' But Dumbledore as if reading her thoughts said, "Look there, I think he wants his Mummy," and gave the baby back to her.  
  
Molly breathed a sigh of relief at having her son back in her arms. She was remembering something else. Today was 11th May the exact day that . . .  
  
"Professor, excuse me, I have to ask," Daphne said suddenly pulling Molly out of her thoughts.  
  
"Ask away," said Dumbledore turning towards her.  
  
"Well," she began looking around at everyone else in the room, "Edmond said this will be Dippet's last year as Headmaster. I was just wondering if you knew," she paused, "who would be taking his place."  
  
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "It so happens, Daphne Weasley, that I do know the answer to that question and that is part of the reason why I have come today. The Board of Governors has met and it seems that they would like me to succeed Arriman Dippet as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."  
  
"That's wonderful, Professor."  
  
"Congratulations."  
  
Then they all heard yet another "pop".  
  
"I'll go," Sophie said again rolling her eyes.  
  
"We should really be going, too," Genevieve said.  
  
"Ah, Mum, do we have to," Daphne complained as if she weren't 19 years old and out of school. Charlotte swatted her arm. "What," Daphne cried, "it's just that he's so cute." Charlotte ignored her sister this time and went to give Molly a hug and Bill a kiss on the head. Daphne followed her and then Genevieve. "We'll wee you soon dear."  
  
On the way out the door the three Weasley women nearly ran into a short blond witch.  
  
"Oh hello, excuse me," said Genevieve, "You were at the wedding weren't you? I'm sorry, I didn't get to meet all of Molly's friends."  
  
"I'm Arabella Figg," Ms. Figg didn't correct her.  
  
"Well it's good to meet you. We're off. Have a good visit."  
  
Sophie poked her head in the door one last time too. "Goodbye, Mol, just owl me if you need anything."  
  
Molly heard the four "pop"s as the four women apparated back to their homes and then she and Arthur were alone at last with Dumbledore and Ms. Figg.  
  
"Do you have news of Lily?" Molly asked excitedly.  
  
Arabella looked at Dumbledore who nodded for her to begin. "I'm sure you remember that today is Lily's birthday."  
  
"Oh of course," Molly interrupted, "how could we forget? Oh and she has a little brother for her birthday. I wish she could see him." This last part Molly said mostly to herself but Arabella heard and was outraged.  
  
"She most certainly will not see him!" she exclaimed.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat obviously intending for Ms. Figg to calm herself.  
  
"Of course," Molly said a little quieter, "I know she isn't to know she's a witch yet."  
  
"She is showing signs of magic though," Arabella continued.  
  
"Is she?" said Dumbledore, "I always knew she would, and just in time she'll be getting her Hogwarts letter next year." At this he winked at Arthur and Molly.  
  
"Yes," said Arabella, "out of the corner of my eye I caught her turning the pages of a book with telepathy."  
  
"Hey," Arthur exclaimed after being silent for so long, "I used to do that."  
  
"And speaking of books," Arabella went on, "she loved the collection of Welsh Myths you sent for her."  
  
"I knew she would," Molly said smiling.  
  
"Oh and I have something to show you." Arabella took a wizarding photo out of her cloak and handed it to Molly. At first the picture looked dark to Molly and Arthur who was looking over one of her shoulders and Dumbledore who was looking over the other. But as they watched one by one ten candles were lit on a little cake. The candles illuminated two bright green eyes, a sweet smile, and two long red braids.  
  
"She's beautiful," Arthur choked back a few tears.  
  
"And so grown up," Molly sighed. "Bill this is your sister Lily. You probably won't ever get to meet her but I'm sure you would have loved her and she would have loved you." 


End file.
